The Florida Climate Forecast Conference is returning to the Suncoast in November

In November, scientists, business leaders and government officials will gather to discuss how climate warming is reshaping Florida ecosystems at the fifth annual Florida Climate Forecast Conference.  

The conference will run from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the Selby Auditorium on the University of South Florida’s Sarasota-Manatee campus. It’s run by Sarasota-based Climate Adaptation Center. 

“From Florida’s coral reefs to its coastlines, wetlands, and wildlife, ecosystems across the state, and the planet, are under pressure. As species shift, vanish, or adapt, so must we. This conference will equip attendees with the science, strategies, and partnerships needed to protect biodiversity and the critical services it provides to people, economies, and future generations,” said the CAC website.  

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The conference’s morning session will focus on climate and biodiversity through the last ice age. The midday sessions will discuss how climate change is reshaping Florida’s ecosystems, as well as warming and rising seas. The afternoon sessions will center around the climate economy and technological advances relating to conservation and restoration.  

Paleontologist and geologist Ken Lacovara will kick off the morning session. Other speakers include Pam Soltis, director of the University of Florida Biodiversity Institute and a past president of the American Institute of Biological Sciences; Alastair Harborne, associate professor of biological sciences at Florida International University; and Colin Polsky, the founding director of the Florida Atlantic University School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability. 

Ella Thompson covers real estate and development for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Contact her at ethompson@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing today.