Climate change findings to be discussed at community meetings

A two-year study of climate change and its possible impacts on the Keys is nearing completion and the public is invited to participate in informational workshops to share and discuss the findings. The community meetings are to be presented by Australian researcher Hans Hoegh-Guldberg of Economic Strategies Pty Ltd., who conducted the study funded by NOAA.

Workshops held last year to establish what opinion leaders see as long-term issues facing the Keys were valuable in focusing the study, he said. "I have distilled eight such issues from the verbatim reports," said Hoegh-Guldberg.  He said climate change was listed consistently as the number one issue.

The meetings will include a PowerPoint presentation of the possible future -- from global to local.  "I personally think that the coming few months, culminating at the climate change meeting in Copenhagen in December, could be crucial for the way the world prepares itself in the coming decade," said Hoegh-Guldberg.

Five meetings are planned to obtain final feedback and information.  Everyone is welcome.  The locations are as follows:

• Marathon --  Tuesday, August 11, 6-8 pm, Key Colony Beach City Hall
• Key West -- Wednesday, August 12, 6-8 pm, Eco-Discovery Center
• Key Largo -- Friday, August 14, 6-8 pm, Key Largo Library
• Islamorada -- Monday, August 17, 6-8 pm, Florida Keys History of Diving Museum
• Lower Keys/Key West -- Thursday, August 20, 6-8 pm, Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce, Big Pine Key