Climate Change and the Indian River Lagoon
Environmental impacts,
Economic & HeaLth impacts,
what WE can do.
Environmental Impacts
The health of east Florida’s 160 mile long Indian River Lagoon and similar coastal ecosystems around the globe are linked to climate. Ocean and atmospheric heating continue to increase with many cascading impacts (National Climate Assessment, 2023; NASA, 2025). Diverse environmental, economic, and social resources face increasing challenges in many estuary and ocean regions.
This resource has sections on Environmental Impacts, Economic Impacts, and What We Can Do, with subsections within. Short summaries and over 100 linked references are provided on major issues at local through connected international scales. The latest comprehensive economic analysis of the Indian River Lagoon estimates a regional value of over $28 billion (Balmoral Group, 2025) – more information on what’s at stake is in Economic Impacts.
Effects from climate change can co-vary, i.e., a change in one system can cause changes in connected systems in ways that are difficult to predict. For example, the increasing heat content in estuarine and ocean waters affects all of the categories below. The impacts of climate change as well as the underlying geophysical mechanisms are well-summarized in reviews such as IPCC (2019), Dahlman and Lindsey (2020), National Climate Assessment (2023) and various sections of NASA (2025). These and over 100 citations on other pages contain decades of findings and informed recommendations to reduce impacts to our lands, waters, and communities.
Hotter temperatures
extreme weather
Rising Seas
ocean & EstuariNe acidification
Environmental & Climate Justice
SURPRISES ARE GUARANTEED
Economic and Health Impacts
The coastal waters and lands of the Indian River Lagoon are a natural economic and social treasure for east Florida’s Space Coast and Treasure Coast. Beyond the costs of increasing algae blooms, seagrass losses, fish kills, marine mammal starvation and tourism impacts, losses in other economic sectors result from the absence of adaptive coastal planning.
coastal Fisheries
Climate change raises interlinked challenges that impact Florida’s coastal fisheries.
PUBLIC health
Increasing air and ocean heat content exposes humans and health care systems to additional challenges.
Space and defense
NASA, the Department of Defense, and associated industries have recognized climate change as a threat multiplier.
Other Business Sectors
Climate change impacts can threaten the bottom line of many business sectors.
opportunities
Climate change also presents opportunities that can pay off in multiple sectors.
We can make a difference. The links below have examples of how to get involved at local, state, and national levels. The Indian River Lagoon includes diverse resources and human communities, and is a model for climate change impacts and adaptation in other subtropical and warm temperate coastal systems.