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A pair of rain boots, the new symbol for Miami Beach’s flooded streets, held up high by Mayor Lerner, raised awareness about climate change induced flooding in Miami Beach streets. Politicians, activists and educators all congregated for the annual King Tide Day (the year’s highest astronomical tide) to voice the need for action against climate change induced sea level rise.

On October 9^th 2014, this year’s King Tide date, prominent figures, such as the Mayor of Pinecrest, Cindy Lerner, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Gina McCarthy, gave urgent, yet hopeful speeches regarding the rising sea levels in the Miami Beach area. The costly effects are prevalent throughout the city as still standing water covers the concrete streets.

Although there have been some short-term solutions to the flooding problem, such as Miami Beach adopting a $15 million dollar underground pumping system politicians, along with residents, want a more permanent answer.

One of the repeated issues the government has with adopting more permanent-solutions to sea level rise is the denial of climate science in the federal government.

“We have a governor and a legislature that are climate deniers,” Mayor Cindy Lerner said.

However, the latest sea level rise causes urgency and immediate action, needing to be quickly addressed. As humans continue to rapidly use fossil fuels, instead of cleaner alternatives like solar and wind power, the situation will only become more intense. In the past 50 years, Florida recorded five to eight inches of sea level rise- a shocking statistic.

“75% of our [Florida’s] population is on the coast. The projected five to eight inches [of sea level rise] is already reality and it could be as much as 2 to 3 feet if we don’t change our policies… [It’s] time for people to wake up,” U.S. Senator Bill Nelson said.

Most of the world’s population, for that matter, lives on the coast. Not only does Florida fall victim to higher tides, but the entire world does too. In the Nationally, New Jersey and Delaware find themselves highly susceptible. Osaka, Japan faces the challenge to keep levels down as well.

The only answers seem to lie in an alliance between science and policy, as well as an alliance between officials and residents. While the federal government needs to recognize the reality of a warming climate leading to flooding, extreme weather, and hotter average temperature, residents need to also make changes in their daily lives. While officials at the conference challenged students to become more involved in politics students also need to implement a more ‘green way of life.’ By using less energy and fossil fuels, students can diminish the harmful effects in the future, or coastal cities may find themselves in dire trouble.