The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Florida, with the expertise of AECOM and Cambridge Econometrics, has published a first-of-its kind economic study on the impacts of decarbonizing Florida’s economy: Economic Benefits of Decarbonization in Florida. The report looks at two decarbonization scenarios—achieving a power grid with net zero emissions by 2035 (Net Zero Power System) and achieving net zero emissions economy-wide by 2050 (Net Zero Economy). The decarbonization of our economy—reducing greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide) in manufacturing, transport, energy and other parts of our economy—can drive vast job growth and prosperity for Florida. Decarbonization will expand and create higher-paying jobs, offering opportunities for workers of all skills and education levels, as well as lower consumer costs. This report was built on the Getting to Neutral report that the FCI produced previously.

Read the full press release here.

 

Risks from natural hazards are growing due to climate change and habitat loss. Both insurance and nature-based solutions (NBS) can play important roles in reducing risks. Practitioners in the fields of risk management, insurance, and environmental management have many common goals for assessing risks and developing practical tools for risk reduction.

Read the full report here.

 

 

 

How should the public—and scientists—cope with the daunting uncertainties of climate change?. By Adam Sobel

Interesting piece in the journal Nature about the intersection of the planet’s future and the human condition.

Read the full article here

 

 

 

 

The coldest winter temperature of the last few decades is a strong explanation of variations in mangrove species, size and coverage, in a new paper out in British Ecological Society. PhD student Yiyang Kang, Dr. David Kaplan and Dr. Michael Osland used this information to predict how mangroves on Florida's Gulf Coast will respond to rapid warming under climate change.

Read the full paper in the Journal of Ecology

High-resolution land cover data is now available through NOAA’s Digital Coast. This data provides communities with the foundational data needed to assess coastal resources, analyze land use, prepare for disaster risks, and adapt to a changing climate.

Land cover is a foundational data set that provides valuable information for a range of applications, including natural resource management, land use planning, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation. By comparing one year to another, people also use the information to document how the landscape has changed over time.

NOAA, in conjunction with several partners, released a high-resolution version of this data product, moving from 30-meter resolution to 1-meter.

FULL ARTICLE