5 ms·

Florida is probably going to be one of the worst-impacted states from climate change, in a lot of different ways, so this is an interesting choice.

justforaskin 4y ago
Maybe. But it depends on the time window. For example, it would seem to be unwise to build a multi-million dollar house just a few feet above sea level given the dire projections of sea level rise. However Obama’s new house is just that. So if you are only looking at a time horizon of 60 years, Florida is in a pretty good spot.
- racl101 4y ago
  A lot of rich folks are older so maybe for them it's not bad. When it gets dire they got money they'll just up and leave.
TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
That was my immediate thought. Why would anyone permanently relocate to an area just a few feet above sea level in 2022?
- kcplate 4y ago
  Its a misnomer to believe that “Florida is only a few feet above sea level”. Immediate costal/beach areas of course are, but most of Florida is well above sea level. Most of the people moving to Florida are not wealthy, but middle class folk, and are not buying in the coastal areas. They buy far enough inland that sea level rise if it happens at all to a danger level will have zero affect on anything but future beach quality. Might make the distance to the beach a mile or two shorter. The rich who are buying coastal properties aren’t buying with 2100 in mind, they are buying with 2022 in mind.
danans 4y ago
On the time scales most people think in, it's probably not a big consideration for them personally. The money they save on housing in the meantime perhaps can buy their descendants property in less climate-change-threatened places. Building long term habitations in low lying coastal areas (absent massive engineering to prevent flooding like the Netherlands has done) seems dubious though.
bell-cot 4y ago
True. OTOH, I'll guess that dire (fresh) water shortages mostly won't be a near-term problem in Florida. Unlike the southwest, etc.
kcplate 4y ago
Doubtful, especially if you are referring to sea level rise, since those fanciful predictions have already started to drop. And most of Florida is actually far enough above sea level that only costal areas might be affected. Also, it’s pretty wildly understood that areas closer to the equator will tend to have less climate variation than northern and more southern climates. That leaves the “old hurricanes will get worse” bullet point…except so far…they haven’t.

justforaskin 4y ago

Maybe. But it depends on the time window. For example, it would seem to be unwise to build a multi-million dollar house just a few feet above sea level given the dire projections of sea level rise. However Obama’s new house is just that. So if you are only looking at a time horizon of 60 years, Florida is in a pretty good spot.

racl101 4y ago
A lot of rich folks are older so maybe for them it's not bad. When it gets dire they got money they'll just up and leave.

TedDoesntTalk 4y ago

That was my immediate thought. Why would anyone permanently relocate to an area just a few feet above sea level in 2022?

kcplate 4y ago
Its a misnomer to believe that “Florida is only a few feet above sea level”. Immediate costal/beach areas of course are, but most of Florida is well above sea level. Most of the people moving to Florida are not wealthy, but middle class folk, and are not buying in the coastal areas. They buy far enough inland that sea level rise if it happens at all to a danger level will have zero affect on anything but future beach quality. Might make the distance to the beach a mile or two shorter. The rich who are buying coastal properties aren’t buying with 2100 in mind, they are buying with 2022 in mind.

danans 4y ago

On the time scales most people think in, it's probably not a big consideration for them personally. The money they save on housing in the meantime perhaps can buy their descendants property in less climate-change-threatened places. Building long term habitations in low lying coastal areas (absent massive engineering to prevent flooding like the Netherlands has done) seems dubious though.

bell-cot 4y ago

True. OTOH, I'll guess that dire (fresh) water shortages mostly won't be a near-term problem in Florida. Unlike the southwest, etc.

kcplate 4y ago

Doubtful, especially if you are referring to sea level rise, since those fanciful predictions have already started to drop. And most of Florida is actually far enough above sea level that only costal areas might be affected. Also, it’s pretty wildly understood that areas closer to the equator will tend to have less climate variation than northern and more southern climates. That leaves the “old hurricanes will get worse” bullet point…except so far…they haven’t.