For Our Candidates

ReThink Energy Florida and First Street Foundation are hosting a series of Tidal Town Halls – which are candidate forums focused on sea level rise and flood issues — across the state of Florida.

The Forum will provide an opportunity for candidates to discuss issues related to sea level rise, flood mitigation and adaptation, and other local environmental issues. The town halls are designed to educate the public, while also encouraging dialogue and debate. The forums for primary election candidates will take place in late-July through early-August, and the general election forums will be held in mid-to-late October.

To Accept Our Invitation, Please Notify us at forums@rethinkenergyflorida.org or at 850-888-2565 to reserve your spot at our Tidal Town Hall.

The Forum will be preceded by a reception and meet and greet opportunity.
During the meeting, the moderator will focus on each individual race for a set period of time. The first question will be provided in advance, so candidates can prepare. Other questions will not be provided ahead of time, including questions from the moderator, and audience questions.

This is a chance for candidates to get in front of voters and articulate ideas to address one of Florida’s biggest challenges – increased flood risk from sea level rise. In past years a similar forum to this — the Big Bend Environmental Forum — was one of the best-attended candidates’ events, attracting not only a large live audience but also television, radio, and print media coverage.

Hurricane Irma is still fresh in Florida’s memory. It is estimated that property damage and lost economic output in Florida, due to Hurricane Irma alone, could reach as much as $83 billion according to Moody’s Analytics — a figure that will eliminate the state’s budget surplus.

Floridians’ flood risk from storm surge, and even sunny-day high-tide flooding is only going to get worse.

Florida consistently ranks as the most vulnerable state in the nation to flood risk:

According to a Climate Central analysis of FEMA’s 100-year coastal floodplains, 23 of the 25 U.S. cities most likely to experience flooding from storm surge in the next century are in Florida.

The Union of Concerned Scientists recently revealed that over 60,000 Florida homes are at risk of high-tide flooding within the next 30 years — within the lifespan of a typical mortgage.

Just three inches of sea level rise since 2000 has led to 300% more flooding in Florida with another six inches forecasted in the next 15 years, based on First Street Foundation’s educational site sealevelrise.org.

Specific time allotments per race and format for the Forum will be sent to candidates prior to the event.

Please bring your campaign yard sign for the dais and any campaign literature you would like to distribute.

Please contact forums@rethinkenergyflorida.org or call 850-888-2565 to let us know whether you will attend and the office you are running for.

SeaLevelRise.org
First Street Foundation has developed localized information simplifying the risks, causes and solutions to sea level rise in Florida:
SeaLevelRise.org/Florida/  

Underwater Report
The “Underwater” Report from the Union of Concerned Scientists includes an interactive map that allows you to see how many homes are at risk of chronic flooding within the period of an active mortgage cycle.
UCSUSA.org/Underwater  

Flood iQ
Flood iQ is an interactive tool developed by First Street Foundation designed to help homeowners, home buyers and business owners understand their flood risk and how to protect their property, business and community from flooding related to sea level rise.
FloodiQ.com