Climate Change and the Indian River Lagoon
Environmental impacts,
Economic impacts,
what you can do.
Environmental Impacts
The health of east Florida’s Indian River Lagoon and similar coastal waters around the globe are linked to changes in climate. Ocean-atmosphere heating and the cascading impacts that result are increasing. Diverse environmental, economic, and social resources face increasing challenges in many estuarine and ocean regions.
This web resource has three sections: Environmental Impacts, Economic Impacts, and What We Can Do. The sections provide short summaries and over 80 linked references on major issues at local through national scales.
The 160 mile-long Indian River Lagoon includes highly diverse coastal resources and socio-economic systems: the IRL is a model to understand and respond to climate change in estuaries and nearshore oceans.
Hotter temperatures
extreme weather
Rising Seas
ocean & EstuariNe acidification
Environmental & Climate Justice
SURPRISES ARE GUARANTEED
Economic Impacts
The coastal waters and lands of the Indian River Lagoon are a natural economic treasure for east Florida’s Space Coast and Treasure Coast. Beyond the costs of increasing algae blooms, fish kills, seagrass losses, marine mammal starvation, additional economic impacts across varying sectors result from an absence of adaptive planning.
coastal Fisheries
Climate change raises many interlinked challenges that can impact Florida’s coastal fisheries.
PUBLIC health
Increasing air and ocean heat content means humans will be exposed to additional public health challenges.
Space, defense, military
The Department of Defense and industry has long recognized climate change as a threat multiplier.
Business Sectors
Climate change impacts can threaten the bottom line of many differing business sectors.
economic opportunities
Climate change can also present opportunities that pay off in multiple sectors.
We can make a difference. Find out more on how to get involved at local, state, and national levels.