Sea Level 2040

Sea Level 2040 reflects the impacts of sea level rise on Florida’s lands and land use over the next two decades and includes two future scenarios:

Sprawl 2040 assumes 2019 densities and patterns of development will continue over the next two decades and also factors in the impacts of sea level rise on Florida’s lands and the resulting need for population relocation.

Conservation 2040 accounts for the same population growth and sea level rise by 2040, but also emphasizes protection of much of the state’s highest priority lands for conservation and assumes that any new development will be 30% more compact.

Under the Sprawl Scenario by 2040 Florida is projected to have:

• 4.9 million more residents, a 23% increase over 2019
• Almost 1 million acres lost to sea level rise
• More than 200,000 residents needing to relocate

But with more sustainable development patterns and conservation of priority natural lands, Conservation 2040 could result in:

• More than 5 million more acres of protected natural land
• Almost 2.4 million more acres of protected agricultural land
• 272,000 fewer acres of developed land