Project Summary

The South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) created a Climate Change Community Toolbox to help local officials plan for and adapt to climate change. The Toolbox includes fact sheets on likely climate impacts on Miami-Dade’s economy, environment, and community; inundation maps with different sea level rise scenarios; and links to national and international sources on adaptation planning. The SFRPC continues to participate in climate change-related pre-planning and coordination efforts across the region.

Background

The Climate Change Community Toolbox was commissioned by the Miami-Dade Climate Change Advisory Task Force and prepared by the South Florida Regional Planning Council to assist decision-makers in the adaptation planning process. The Toolbox directs decision makers to different resources to help inform adaptation planning and provides examples from local, national, and international sources. It includes three elements: fact sheets on the projected impacts of climate change on the local economy, community, and environment; an atlas of sea level rise maps; and a compendium of resources from national and international adaptation players.

Implementation

The Toolbox was created with the support of the Florida Department of Community Affairs. The fact sheets address projected climate impacts, including sea level rise, erosion, loss of habitat, damage to infrastructure, saltwater intrusion of groundwater wells, and loss of tourism, and likely effects on Miami-Dade’s economy, environment, and community. LIDAR maps show areas in Miami-Dade likely to be inundated under 1, 2, 3, and 5-foot rises in sea level; these maps identify vulnerable areas and help the Task Force visualize and understand potential impacts, especially with regard to infrastructure and land use planning. Finally, the compendium of resources from the national and international arena includes examples from Scotland, London, New York, and Holland, among others.

Outcomes and Conclusions

The Climate Change Community Toolbox provides examples of how to conduct adaptation planning and how to examine different sectors and issues areas within the context of climate change. Although the Toolbox was created specifically for the Miami-Dade Climate Change Advisory Task Force, the information within can be used by other local communities throughout Florida to support adaptation planning efforts.

Citation

Gregg, R. M. (2021). Florida's Climate Change Community Toolbox [Case study on a project of the South Florida Regional Planning Council]. Version 2.0. Product of EcoAdapt's State of Adaptation Program. (Last updated May 2021)