Climate researchers say Florida’s military bases are vulnerable to sea level rise.
By 2050, the naval bases at Key West and Jacksonville could lose 20% of their land to changing tides. That’s according to a new study conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The researchers analyzed the future effects of sea level rise, storm surge and flood events at 18 military installations along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. Astrid Caldas co-wrote the study, and she says the military is actively planning for climate change.
“They’re being very proactive from what we have seen and what we heard in our conversations with points of contact. Many of these bases have protections in place, which need to be updated for future conditions, as we state in our report,” she said.
The military recognizes climate change as a national security issue, and is working with environmental researchers to prepare vulnerable bases around the world.
