New Online Platform Illuminates Florida’s Climate Future and Guides Decision and Policymaking

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida, February 22, 2024 – A new tool aimed at helping Floridians understand and respond to the unique challenges posed by climate change was released today. Florida’s Climate Future is an interactive online platform that leverages public data from the world’s leading climate scientists, offering an at-a-glance comprehensive overview of the climate challenges by counties across three risk areas that impact Florida’s economy and family budgets.

Facing rising energy costs, more frequent flooding and extreme heat, Florida residents are asking questions and need clear information to assess their specific risks and prioritize actions to protect their communities. Florida’s Climate Future showcases how risks vary across counties and regions for Florida families and businesses.

With the energy insecurity map, users gain insights into the fluctuating prices of natural gas and escalating energy costs in their region, especially in rural areas where energy burdens are the highest. The extreme heat map delves into the state's heat-related fatalities, the risk of wildfires, and the effects of rising temperatures on water bodies with notable impacts along Florida’s west coast. On the storms and flooding map, users can explore the changing rainfall patterns, extreme hurricanes, and flooding including damage and financial costs that hit regions like St. Johns County and many in the Southeast especially hard.

“This effort shares localized information on the rising costs of climate in our state,” said Dawn Shirreffs, Florida director of the Environmental Defense Fund. “It is important that Floridians can see how climate change impacts them directly. It is also crucial that our state leaders understand how reducing dependence on fossil fuels like natural gas can reduce these risks in order to keep Florida safe and affordable.”

With this tool, Floridians and policymakers can hear stories from farm workers, retirees and teachers already being impacted to make informed decisions and take proactive measures to navigate Florida’s evolving climate landscape.

“Our hope is that by compiling all the data that already existed, Floridians and our elected officials will see we have to focus on mitigation efforts to reduce taxpayer risk and substantial financial loss due to climate change,” said Thais Lopez Vogel, co-founder and trustee of the VoLo Foundation. 

Visit https://floridasclimatefuture.org today to explore the platform.