Climate Change

Most researchers agree it’s not valid to point to a single storm and say it was 'caused' by the warming world — too many variables. But there’s a growing consensus that the sea level rise and higher temperatures in the last hundred years have already impacted storms like Ian and may continue to do so in the future.

Ahead of National Public Lands Day we explore the importance of public lands and the need for more comprehensive environmental and climate change education for students and the general public as well as research on the impacts of climate anxiety in a conversation with Jennifer Jones, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Environment and Society at the Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University and Heather-Skaza Acosta, Ph.D., interim Director of the Whitaker Center for STEM education at FGCU.

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law this month by President Biden, includes more than $360 billion for energy and climate reform. We’ll explore what the new law could mean for climate change mitigation efforts in Florida with professor and Director of the Center for Environment and Society at Florida Gulf Coast University Jennifer Jones, Ph.D.

A new survey of attitudes about global warming in Southwest Florida found that most residents believe climate change is real, is happening now, and that its impacts will be felt by future generations.

A new survey of attitudes about global warming in Southwest Florida found that most residents believe climate change is real, is happening now, and is set to impact future generations.

In its final decision of the term, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not have the authority to set limits on carbon emissions from existing power plants, limiting the federal government’s regulatory authority to force power plants to shift away from generating power through the burning of fossil fuels that release greenhouse gasses that cause global warming.We’ll explore the Supreme Court ruling and what it could mean for Florida with Director of the Center for Environment and Society at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Water School, Jennifer Jones, Ph.D.

Florida House Institute and Sarasota Urban ReForesters are creating micro forests in the Sarasota region as an environmental strategy to combat climate change. When 4,000 trees and plants are planted on a small parcel of land, a micro forest is created. The goal of the project is to grow a 100-year forest in just 10 years

The City of Sarasota has announced that it will move forward to meet its goal of 100% renewable energy generation by 2045. In collaboration with the Sierra Club, the Race to Zero campaign and local partners and communities, the city will be working to identify how to create a more affordable and equitable clean energy future.

An international climate change conference in Orlando featured dozens of experts who spoke of carbon sinks, carbon traps, carbon sequestration and of being carbon neutral. However, it was the youngest, most soft-spoken, and newest scientist who received the only standing ovation. 26-year-old Precious Nyabami, a University of Florida graduate student, was honored for her discovery that farmers can easily trap large amounts of planet-warming carbon.

Cape Coral joins 13 other cities and counties in participating in the Resiliency Compact, dedicated to curbing climate change.