As we turn the page into a new year—a time of renewal, intention-setting, and looking forward—the Climate Adaptation Center is reflecting on one of the most profound lessons shared at the 5th Annual Florida Climate Conference: Climate & Biodiversity.
It’s a lesson rooted not in prediction, but in Earth’s deep history.
It is both sobering and empowering:
The planet has experienced five major mass extinctions, and each one was caused by abrupt changes in climate.
This New Year, that knowledge gives us a rare gift: clarity. It shows us what is at stake—and how much power we have to shape a better future.
What Earth’s Past Tells Us
During the conference, scientists explained that every major extinction event—from the end of the dinosaurs to earlier collapses in biodiversity—was triggered by a dramatic shift in climate conditions. Not one of these events involved humans; modern humans didn’t appear until 400,000 years ago, and even 12,000 years ago, our population totaled just 4–5 million people.
Today, we live in a completely different reality.
A Planet Shared With Eight Billion People
Since 1800, the global population has grown from under one billion people to eight billion today. This unprecedented growth—paired with industrial development—has driven massive greenhouse gas emissions that have warmed the planet by 2.8°F. And temperatures continue to rise.
This moment in history is unlike anything the Earth has ever seen:
• Humans are now a primary driver of climate change.
• The warming rate is faster than during any past extinction event.
• Biodiversity is declining at an accelerating speed.
• The stability that supported human civilization has already been surpassed.
Yet this is not a story of inevitability—because, for the first time, a species on Earth has the knowledge and capacity to change its trajectory.
A New Year’s Realization: Humans Are Not Helpless
The conference emphasized a powerful insight:
We have the tools, science, and global understanding that no past species ever possessed.
Unlike the life forms that endured previous extinction events, humans can:
• measure climate change
• understand its causes
• project its future
• innovate solutions
• coordinate action
• protect biodiversity
• strengthen community resilience
A new year invites reflection—but also resolution. And this moment calls for both.
Florida’s Role in the Planet’s Next Chapter
Florida, the most biodiverse state in the nation, sits at the front lines of climate change. Its wetlands, coastlines, reefs, and wildlife are already feeling the strain. But Florida is also where innovation, community leadership, scientific collaboration, and climate adaptation strategies are emerging fastest.
The decisions we make here ripple outward—across the Suncoast, across the state, and across the broader global community, watching what happens in vulnerable coastal regions.
Starting the Year With Hope
The past tells us what happens when the climate shifts too far.
The present tells us we still have time to change course.
And the new year reminds us that change begins with commitments—large or small—made today.
The 2025 Climate & Biodiversity Conference reached 100% capacity, demonstrating how deeply our community cares about science-driven solutions. These gatherings, and the action that follows, exist only because donors like you empower the CAC to do this work.
Begin the New Year With Impact
As we step into a fresh year full of possibilities, we invite you to help build a climate-resilient future for Florida. Make a Donation today!
From all of us at the CAC,
Happy New Year—and thank you for helping shape a thriving future for the place we call home.