Elevation Zero

When it comes to climate change, one thing is certain: our oceans are rising. And South Florida is expected to be among the first regions on Earth to experience the impact. In fact, some initial preparations are already underway. WLRN-Miami Herald News presents a series of stories about the effects of sea-level rise. The project is called “Elevation Zero: Rising Seas In South Florida." Click through the pages below to see our entire archive of Elevation Zero stories.

National Report Says Agencies Behind Everglades Restoration Need To Account For Climate Change

WLRN Public Media

Published October 17, 2018 at 1:03 PM EDT

Wayne Rassner, board chair of the South Florida National Parks Trust, shows off an alligator hole in a cypress dome at the heart of Everglades National Park.

Everglades restoration needs to do more to account for climate change.

That’s the headline of a report released Wednesday by a Congressionally-appointed committee of scientists.

The report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says agencies involved in restoration need to do more analysis of how sea-level rise and increasing rainfall impact Everglades projects.

"With seven large projects to be constructed and three more nearing the end of their planning process, this is the opportune time for a mid-course assessment," Bill Boggess, the committee chair, said in a release.

The report also calls for better monitoring to help ensure projects are being appropriately adapted to the changing climate.

The scientists anticipate about two-and-a-half feet of sea-level rise in the next 80 years, but say it could be significantly more than that.

This story has been corrected; the original version misstated the name of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.