The Ocean Conservancy recently released a report laying out what it will take to bring Florida’s coasts back from the brink.
Ocean Conservancy is a nonprofit environmental advocacy group based in Washington, D.C.. The organization helps formulate ocean policy at the federal and state government levels based on peer reviewed science. Through several program areas, Ocean Conservancy advocates for protecting of special marine habitats, restoring sustainable fisheries, reducing the human impact on ocean ecosystems and managing U.S. ocean resources.
Their report finds Florida at a crossroads with many challenges that have arisen that jeopardize our environment and economy. They named what they feel the nine biggest threats are:
Harmful Algal Blooms
Water Quality & Quantity
Ocean Acidification
Coral Disease & Bleaching
Oil & Gas Drilling and Pollution
Ocean Trash
Coastal Development
Sea Level Rise & Flooding
Extreme Weather
Ocean Conservancy points to climate change as an accelerator fueling several of the threats. Carbon pollution has caused our global climate to warm more rapidly, driving and exacerbating environmental disasters that put coastal communities in danger.
In a press release, Jeff Watters, Director of Government Relations at Ocean Conservancy said: “We can’t address each of Florida’s environmental issues in a vacuum. For Florida’s ocean and coasts, this is an all-hands-on-deck moment. This is going to require action on all levels from individual citizens to powerful policy makers in Tallahassee and Washington D.D. But here’s the good news: if we work together, there’s a lot that we can do to tackle these problems.”
This report also lays out solutions to these threats. To read the full report go to:
https://oceanconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Florida_OC_Report_Master_FINAL_DIGITAL_SMALL.pdf
