By Ryan Waddoups
Unless Miami acts fast, its days above water are numbered. The South Florida city recently released the Stormwater Master Plan, a comprehensive guide that outlines how the city can combat the encroaching effects of climate change and rising sea levels. The report uses extensive mapping data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to propose a series of storm-proofing solutions within the next five to seven decades, including major upgrades to the city’s water management systems. “The most common question I get asked is whether Miami is going to be here in 50 years, whether it’s going to be here in 100 years,” Mayor Francis Suarez told the Miami Herald. “This is the beginning of having a comprehensive plan to answer that question in the affirmative.”
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Though there are clearly no easy fixes to keep Miami above water, this report sheds light on the urgent work needed across the board as an unrelenting climate crisis tightens its grip on the Sunshine State. The fatal collapse of the Champlain Towers South in nearby Surfside will also uncover new insights about how rising seas threaten coastal properties, though many questions about that tragedy will likely remain unanswered for the next several years.