As climate change remains contentious topic in American politics on the federal level, more and more cities are taking it upon themselves to find solutions that will address this growing problem. Key West, Florida, is a popular tourist destination and also one of the most vulnerable places in the United States to rising sea levels. Like many places in South Florida, Key West is very flat, with many neighborhoods, including the downtown hub of tourist activity, reaching no higher than 3 ft. above sea level. 

Key West has already seen the severity of hurricanes and flooding events intensify in the past several years, and current scientific projections estimate that sea levels will rise by an additional 3 ft. by the end of the decade. To combat this issue, the town has recently adopted building standards to prepare for this future challenge. The new ordinances call for buildings to be raised at least a foot in a half higher than the previous standard that they adhere to green building codes. They also require all new homes to be built with rainwater cisterns, which will not only help provide water for homes and gardens, but will also decrease rainwater runoff and help reduce the number of floods. Rising sea levels will continue to be a major threat to cities across the coast, and though there is still much work to be done to address the sources of the problem, these new standards will certainly help mitigate the impending damage.

To learn more about Key West's efforts to reduce the impact of climate change, click here.

To learn more about how Partners can help cities looking to address this same problem, click here.

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