SPEAKERS BIOGRAPHIES  DETAILED AGENDA

The NSU Shepard Broad College of Law is presenting an in-person CLE Program. Option to watch online livestream is also available for registrants. 

Program Description:  Florida’s low-lying topography makes it particularly vulnerable to increased flooding from hurricanes, rain events, storm surge, and sea level rise. The NSU Shepard Broad College of Law is offering a CLE program focused on improving resilience to increasing threats posed to coastal communities. Conference attendees will learn about the effects of increased flooding and sea level rise on Florida's communities and businesses and will gain insight into how state, regional, and local leaders are collaborating with diverse stakeholders to accelerate solutions that help communities, ecosystems, and economies prepare and respond to changing coastal conditions.

The 2025 NSU Coastal Resilience Conference brings together a diverse group of experts from state and federal government agencies, industry, and academia to provide up-to-date resilience initiatives and proposals for change. Each of the topics discussed will involve practical and regulatory considerations integral to improving coastal resilience. Leading scientists will provide detailed discussion of the current science of sea level rise, and its effects on Florida's communities, environments, and businesses. Speakers from government agencies will discuss Florida’s Resilient Florida Program, and its application to local communities in south Florida. Environmental attorneys will examine the progress of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) and discuss how ecosystem restoration is a critical response to climate risk. Insurance experts will address how the impacts of changing coastal conditions pose significant upward challenges to Florida’s insurance markets and the provision of disaster relief. Experts in local government law will discuss emerging legal and policy issues related to government efforts to protect coastal communities from harm, and will address opportunities to create more resilient communities. Experts will also address adaptation and retreat efforts available to protect nature, infrastructure and vulnerable coastal communities. This will include a discussion of the funded relocation of the citizens of the Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, the country’s first effort to assist in climate change-driven relocation.

Each of the topics involves practical and regulatory considerations critical to improving coastal resilience, including the role of law in shaping policies, funding mechanisms, and technological innovations that support adaptation efforts.

The program will feature fourteen highly recognized industry leaders to address these important topics. There will be time for audience Q&A after the panel discussions.

This is a FREE CLE
Everyone is welcome!

CLE Credits Approved for this Conference

General 8.0

Certification Credits: Business Litigation 8.0

REGISTER TODAY for in-person or livestream    

OR SCAN BELOW TO REGISTER

For additional information about this program, including sponsorship opportunities, please contact Eric Hull at eh25@nova.edu. 

Session Descriptions:

Opening Address - The Science of Sea Level Rise: Our Coming Inundation

This presentation will examine the current science related to sea level rise and explain why accelerating rates of sea level rise is becoming increasingly dire and urgently needs to be the primary focus of policymakers and planners. The discussion will explore current and projected impacts of sea level rise on Florida coastal communities and environments and steps that can be taken to address the coming inundation.

Panel I - Local Government Legal and Policy Challenges and Opportunities with Becoming More Resilient Communities

Billions of dollars of real estate in Florida are at risk from sea level rise and increasing coastal flooding. As the government acts to address these increasing risks, legal challenges will follow. This panel will address the challenges local governments face in balancing individual property rights with the need to protect communities from harm and explore opportunities for communities to become more resilient.

Panel II - Coastal Inundation, Insurance, and Disaster Relief

Florida’s low-lying coastal topography makes its shoreline increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels and intensifying coastal storms. Increased coastal flooding and damage continues to place upward pressure on insurance markets to address risks. This panel will address how these changes impact insurance coverage and disaster relief in Florida.

Keynote Address - Rising Seas: Unprecedented, Unstoppable, and Unpredictable

Rising seas will fundamentally alter communities, industries, legal institutions, and natural environments around the world. This presentation will examine the unprecedented challenges sea level rise presents to society and explore strategies for intelligent adaptation. By examining steps taken by other coastal communities to respond to the sea level rise, this presentation will provide key insights for policy makers and planners in Florida to plan effectively for a new coastline.

Panel III -  Resilient Florida Program and Local Government Resilience Efforts

State and local governments are responding to the threats posed by rising seas and increasing coastal inundation. This panel will address how coastal and inland communities in Florida are assessing vulnerabilities and planning for increased flooding and sea level rise. The discussion will explore the structure and function of the Resilient Florida Program and explore local government resilience efforts in south Florida.

Panel IV - Sea Level Rise and Restoration: Ecosystem Restoration as a Response to Climate Risk

This panel will examine opportunities to restore imperiled natural systems to address risks posed by climate change. With a focus on Florida Everglades, the panelists will discuss how policymakers and planners can protect and conserve public lands, wildlife, and precious natural resources.

Panel V - Adaptation and Retreat: Protecting Nature, Infrastructure and Vulnerable Communities

Rising seas will permanently cover existing coastal land forcing communities, critical infrastructure, and ecosystems to move to higher ground. This panel will focus on the multiple challenges community leaders face in managed retreat. The panel will examine the funded relocation of the citizens of the Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, touted as the country’s first effort to assist in climate change-driven relocation, and address laws available to help protect valuable coastal ecosystems and their inhabitants.