Climate and Sea Level Rise

As the dangerous effects of climate change are appearing more and more around the world, our scientists are responding from one of the most threatened spots in America. We bring a combination of experience and innovation to the race to understand what’s happening as the Earth gets hotter and the oceans rise.

For 25 years, we have been testing our local waters to gauge the effects of farming, industry, channelization and urban development. We know the environment here better than anyone, giving us a clear perspective on how it’s changing now.

As new threats have come up, we’ve expanded our studies: We are tracking the health of mangrove forests, the effects of saltwater intrusion beneath our feet from Coral Gables to the Everglades, and how some of our coral reefs could adapt to survive in a more acidic sea. We are studying how animals react to the hurricanes that are coming more and more often, and how Miami-Dade is responding to worse flooding and king tides.

Adapting to a changing climate takes an incredible effort. Our scientists have a head start in exploring our options, and they are already working with partners in our community to face the challenge.

Students, Volunteers and Community Members: Get Involved

Featured Projects

King Tide Citizen Science
Since 2016, we have been mobilizing "citizen scientists" to gather data on seasonal King Tides during our annual Sea Level Solutions Day. The tides cause flooding in our urban Miami community, increasing sea level rise concerns for local neighborhoods. This project informs adaptation solutions in response to the threat of King Tide flooding.
CRISP 2.0
A research team led by the Institute is trying to remove the chaos from responses when natural disasters strike. The project is making communities more resilient when it comes to bouncing back after a disaster. By developing a mobile app, the project hopes to connect communities as well as organize volunteers for assistance programs when emergency services are disrupted or overwhelmed.
Miami-Dade Environmental Education
Rising seas and rising temperatures continue to threaten Miami-Dade County. The Miami-Dade Environmental Education project focuses on engaging with students and the local community to bring to light the impacts and solutions related to sea-level rise and climate change, recycling and composting, pollution, extreme heat and other environmental issues.

All Projects

Related Programs & Centers

Our ongoing educational, research and community initiatives are organized within thematic programs and centers which bring together experts from across the Institute of Environment.

Sea Level Solutions Center
Climate change disproportionately impacts those who are already more vulnerable. Working with experts around the world, we develop useful and continuing sea level and other climate change-related responses while collaborating with people on the ground to meet real-time needs and provide support. We connect directly with the communities who need us most and present science-backed solutions that last.
Environmental Finance & Risk Management
The Environmental Finance & Risk Management program is based on the rationale that spending money is required for large-scale human-driven environmental change. This program supports emerging research involving risk management, resilience, sustainability and coupled systems. It also emphasizes environment-linked finance's relevance to a growing number of exciting commercial and policy applications.
Innovation for Sustainable Built Environments
Our Innovation for Sustainable Built Environments program supports research, teaching, and services that advance sustainable design and development for healthy, livable and resilient environments as it relates to these fields.