Issues: Global Warming

If your business depends on tourism . . . get ready. Global warming will take a bite out of the Florida tourist industry.

Global warming will melt polar icecaps and glaciers, adding more water to the oceans. At the same time, water temperatures will increase, causing water to expand. As a result, the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico are expected to rise between 8 and 30 inches, flooding areas that are now inland -- 200 to 250 feet or more -- and expanding the 100-year floodplain by as much as 25 percent.

Some beaches will be lost to the sea, and many beachfront properties and businesses will be in harm's way. With Florida's 800 miles of beaches drawing more tourism than any other attraction (Miami Beach alone brings in $2 billion in revenue each year), the loss of beachfront would have a devastating effect not only on coastal businesses, but also on the state's economy as a whole.

Other popular tourist spots will be hurt, too. The Everglades, the Keys and Florida's coral reefs are defining natural landmarks, and global warming will strain these precious ecosystems, perhaps pushing them beyond the point of collapse. The loss of coral reefs and coastal estuaries will hurt businesses built around fishing and diving, and severe damage to the lower Everglades from saltwater intrusion could discourage visitors.

Protecting the tourism industry will be expensive. The cumulative cost of sand replenishment to protect Florida's coast from a 20-inch sea level rise, for example, will run between $1.7 billion and $8.8 billion, according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates.

Photo: Gary Braasch