On Nov. 12, Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis joined a panel organized by ‘Engage Estero’ to discuss the pressures facing southwest Florida due to climate change, as well as potential solutions.

DePaolis was joined by FGCU Professor Mike Savarese, Calusa Waterkeeper Codty Pierce, and FGCU Master’s student Jenny Morris.  The panel discussed the issues facing local areas due to the changing climate, and potential adaptation and mitigation strategies to combat the effects. 

DePaolis offered Sanibel as an example of how a dedicated and forward-thinking group of concerned citizens can lay the groundwork to protect their community into the future. 

“We were lucky on Sanibel to have a group of founders who had a vision of Sanibel that they wanted to ensure would persist into the future,” said DePaolis. “We are in a similar situation where we have to ask ourselves what we want south Florida to look like in 20 years, in 50 years, and we need to take action to make sure that vision is realized.” 

Through organized questions and responding to questions raised by the audience, the panel conveyed a need for education and advocacy focusing on the immediate needs of adaptation, and larger goals of mitigation to truly face the impacts of climate change.