What does it mean for our area?

One always hears about Climate Change in a global sense, especially due to that pesky term global warming. 

From harrowing photos of the difference in size between an iceberg from 1970 to now, to the stomach-turning images of starving polar bears, to pictures of coral bleaching in Australia, climate change can seem like an issue that, while tragic, isn’t very personal. 

However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Florida needs to be taking climate change seriously, and the rally in Sarasota was a good first step. From dangerous heat, to unpredictable weather, to raging hurricanes, Floridians have a lot to lose.

One effect of Climate Change, Dr. Suprenand cautions against, is sea level rise. “If we have sea level rise and most of Florida is only a few feet above sea level, we’re talking about impacts to our coastal communities,” he warns. “I was talking to my friend the other day who works in Greenland and this massive melting [of icebergs and ice sheets] is going to mean up to six meters of sea level rise. Meters, not feet.” 

Right here in Bradenton, rising sea levels are one of the county’s biggest concerns. In fact, Manatee County partnered with the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to find out just how much the region will be affected. 

The findings weren’t too optimistic, especially for those who live on the water. By 2030, the sea level could rise by over a foot. By 2100, the sea level in Tampa Bay could rise nearly nine feet. 

An extra nine feet of water is obviously catastrophic to a community, and Manatee County will need to put a lot of money into building the proper infrastructure to withstand such a change. To see how certain local spots will be affected, check out the sea-level rise interactive map here generated by Manatee County. It shows just how much coastal areas stand to lose.

According to Suprenand, “We’re going to have to rethink the way that we live our lives because we can’t all live as wonderfully as people in the United States are now. It’s not possible in sheer numbers, and we only have so many resources, we only have so much space, so if things are changing and shifting there’s going to be a necessary response to those as well.” 

But Climate Change means even more negative effects for Floridians. Here other impacts to the Sunshine State, according to statesatrisk.org:

• Longer mosquito season
• More dangerously hot days in summer
• Hotter summers which will last longer
• Less predictable weather
• More hurricanes with higher categories
• Coastal flooding
• Rising sea levels
• Droughts

That’s just to name a few. For a more complete list and some helpful infographics, click here. 

To zero in on one of these effects, let’s look at hurricanes. They’re coming in faster and stronger than ever before. 

As Dr. Suprenand explains, “if you have more energy in the ocean you’re going to have greater potential for more and stronger hurricanes.” 

Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle on October 10th, 2018. It didn’t affect the Suncoast, but had it landed here, it could just as easily have damaged our community. Hurricane Irma was another superstorm that had the potential to take lives and destroy property in the Tampa Bay area. It was forecasted to charge right through it, but turned away at the last minute. 

Think about what would have happened if it hadn’t. People’s lives would certainly be over as they knew them before. With the number of these superstorms on the rise, it’s becoming increasingly likely that this could become reality. According to NOAA, hurricanes aren’t necessarily happening more often, but the storms that are hitting are getting worse. If and when a hurricane does zero in on the Bradenton area, it is much more likely to be a category four or five.