For the first time in three years, Florida Atlantic’s Center for Environmental Studies will host the Sea-Level Rise Summit at the Hyatt Regency in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from May 3-5.

The third edition of the conference — titled “Connected Futures from Alaska to Florida,” — will feature discussion on both states and their respective approaches to fighting against climate change and rising ocean levels.

“Coastal cities are critically important for our economy and society, and are facing unprecedented environmental challenges,” said Colin Polsky, the director of the Florida Center for Environmental Studies at FAU, in the event’s press release. “This summit will break new ground by pairing two coastal regions that are both experiencing environmental challenges, but are already working to adapt to these changes.”

According to the release, the goal of the summit is to “compare and contrast the unfolding impacts and response in these different regions to identify and highlight opportunities for building coastal resilience both locally and globally.”

Polsky said that the collaboration of all the participants during the event will go towards a collection of research and solutions.

“By tapping into the collective wisdom of the participants, the summit will result in a living document titled ‘Adaptation Pathways 1.0.’ that will serve as a blueprint for other coastal communities throughout the world,”  he said.

Previous conferences hosted by the Center for Environmental Studies have included state and local environmental officials, professors, researchers and business professionals.

The event is open to the public and costs $250 to register before April 11. After that date, the registration cost is $300.

The fee covers all sessions and panels, conference materials including a conference app, meals and the opening reception on May 3.

For more information, visit the Center for Environmental Studies website or contact Mary Beth Hartman at 954-236-1203 or [email protected].

Ryan Lynch is the multimedia editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @RyanLynchwriter.