Lee County is the eleventh jurisdiction, and second county, to join the Compact; cities and counties that join commit to collaboratively identifying and addressing the effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, intensifying hurricanes, and erosion.

As a proven leader amongst Southwest Florida counties, Lee County’s decision to join the compact bodes well for the counties and municipalities as they plan for regional resiliency.  Members will share scientific data and planning tools, develop a unified action plan, and support one another as they prepare for, adapt to, and mitigate climate change impacts.

Regions that are organized into Compacts are better poised to demonstrate their readiness and capacity for state-coordinated efforts, including funding. Governor DeSantis’ proposed resilience budget tackles the challenges of sea level rise, intensified storm events, and localized flooding by establishing the Resilient Florida program which will provide $1 billion over four years to provide grants to state and local government entities. 

Regional collaboratives are instrumental in both accelerating the state’s resilience work and serving as a conduit for future funds and programs.  Lee County’s leadership and care for climate issues is an important step in amplifying Southwest Florida’s ability to protect its natural resources and bolster its resilience in our changing climate.

Congrats to Audubon policy staff Halle Goldstein and Brad Cornell and Audubon’s climate advocates in Southwest Florida on this important win!