Sea-level rise and its impact on Florida

It is well-established that global warming has resulted in global sea-level rise. Since 1870, average global sea level has risen by about 8 inches. As the climate has become increasingly warmer, the annual rate of sea-level rise has accelerated. Average annual sea-level rise between 1993 and 2011 was 78 percent higher than between 1961 and 1993.

Four county governments in Southeast Florida, in response to impacts of sea-level rise, established the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact in January 2010. The purpose of this agreement between the county governments of Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties – which have a combined population of 5.6 million — is to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies through joint efforts and to actively inform critical policymaking and government funding decisions at the state and federal levels.