Issue
Hallandale Beach, Florida, a coastal community at risk from sea level rise, is currently developing its sustainability action plan. However, while this plan will touch upon resilience, it will not include a full-scale vulnerability assessment.
Process
To help understand its vulnerability to future risks, the city applied to the Resilience Dialogues program, which partners with communities to explore their risks from climate change and helps connect community leaders to a network of vetted national experts. One of the subject matter experts recommended exploring NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer as an easy-to-use tool to visualize impacts. The city’s Green Initiatives coordinator presented the key outcomes of the Resilience Dialogues program, including visuals from the Sea Level Rise Viewer, to the city commission in order to educate elected officials on the importance of resilience planning.
Impact
Following the presentation, elected officials expressed a desire to complete a full-scale vulnerability assessment for Hallandale Beach in the near future. The city’s Green Initiatives webpage features a section about the Resilience Dialogues and a link to a summary report, and invites residents to use the Sea Level Rise Viewer. The sustainability action plan process will include public and internal workshops for residents and staff members. Portions of the workshop will use the Sea Level Rise Viewer to communicate the importance of planning for future risks.
