A living laboratory for climate solutions

The “moonshot” in addressing climate change: How Miami can be a leader in climate resilience through research and pioneering climate innovation.

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UM’s Climate Resilience Academy director explains how Miami can lead in climate resilience through innovation and connectivity in our latest interview.

Florida’s green future: Read the Nature Conservancy’s report on the economic benefits of decarbonization in Florida here.

Since Miami has been identified with the problem that is the climate crisis, a problem shared by coastal cities around the world, why not own it? 

That’s what Michael Berkowitz, Executive Director of the University of Miami’s Climate Resilience Academy, wants to accomplish: make this region the climate solutions hub.

"If the U.S. is going to think about climate resilience, what better place for that to start than right here in Miami,” he said in our latest Interview. “A lot of what we are pioneering here today is going to get used in cities and communities around the world."

Watch or listen to Berkowitz explain how he is a connector within the university and the community, as well as the focus areas for the academy such as climate migration here. Read below to learn more about climate mitigation and adaptation. 

THE ACADEMY

The Climate Resilience Academy began in 2022 and supports the 12 schools and colleges in training the next generation of climate scientists and solution-finders. Berkowitz has characterized the academy as UM’s “moonshot” in addressing climate change and described Miami as "a living laboratory for innovative climate solutions of all kinds."

Berkowitz started the role in August after working internationally on resilience programs and the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities initiative.

Berkowitz said Miami is the ideal place to understand how people from different backgrounds and across generations respond to messages on how we process climate risk and what techniques are needed to change behavior.  

“And I think that's some of the work we're still doing to understand who do we really want to influence and why based on all of the innovation that's going on,” he added.

Innovation taking shape at the university includes new kinds of infrastructure, from carbon-neutral concrete to nature-based solutions like coral restoration, that tackle the climate crisis. They can also be part of a cost-benefit analysis for the federal government and businesses if both the university and Greater Miami “can provide the intellectual underpinnings for those benefits, now we can start to move the market…it’s a fundamental part of how we see the value proposition.”

MITIGATION ADAPTATION

Climate mitigation is reducing our carbon footprint so that we do less damage to our environment, Berkowitz explained, while climate adaptation is resilience – or thinking about how we adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. 

Climate mitigation is a simpler metric and has a better-established market, he said. Globally, about 95% of capital from governments and private sectors is going to climate mitigation, while the rest is going to climate adaptation “because it's a much harder and much more localized undertaking.”

For example, the way to ensure your neighborhood survives the next flood or heat wave is “a block-to-block kind of battle.” You will need to focus on both the physical infrastructure – such as buildings – and also the social infrastructure – check on neighbors. 

Through the academy’s focus areas explained in the podcast, Berkowitz said he hopes Miami is seen as a place to “learn how to do climate resilience and that we are well recognized for all of that innovation."

DECARBONIZATION IN FLORIDA

The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit, has released a report on how Florida can become a leader in clean energy and the economic benefits that will proceed with such efforts – such as a state economy that will be nearly two percent larger by 2050. 

The Economic Benefits of Decarbonization in Florida report details how Florida can offer job opportunities with diverse skill requirements and potentially higher wages through a smooth transition to clean energy, not to mention our year-round sunshine could make Florida a solar energy powerhouse. 

You can read the full report here.

PITCH US

If you have a company, entrepreneur, or idea to suggest that relates to building Miami’s future, email us at next@opportunity.miami. We invite you to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch our Interview and On Site video series featuring leaders shaping Miami's future. Please also follow us on our social media channels. If you were forwarded this newsletter, you can subscribe by clicking here. And if you are new to Opportunity Miami, you can learn about our mission and work here.

— Suzette