MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava welcomed leaders around the world to discuss the issues of climate change at the Global Resilience Forum Monday.
“It’s actually more dangerous than any other weather-related illness or incidents,” Cava said.
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The inaugural forum focuses on the changing hotter weather patterns.
“We’re gonna have go an average of seven days a year with a heat index of 105 to 88 in the next 30 years,” said Miami-Dade County Chief Heat Officer Jane Gilbert.
“We all have to learn from each other, we are in the same situation as others and we really benefit when we hear adaptation strategies, mitigation strategies,” Cava added.
A total of 125 leading experts from the US and other countries participated, including the chief heat officer from Athens Greece.
“You get these red and gray skies, it’s almost apocalyptic the feeling and then this ash,” said Eleni Myrivili, describing the wildfires that scorched Greece last summer.
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It happened during a historic heatwave where temperatures climbed to 116 degrees.
She advocates for more green coordinators, planting trees and considering housing materials that keep homes cooler, lighter color paints, such as white to attract less heat.
“But also they have to change the way that they are designed we have to get away from this idea that we cool by air conditioning.”
Another out-of-the-box idea is a video game called Eco that also helps to raise awareness through play.
The developers, Strangeloop, were given a grant by the foundation. It’s a little bit like Minecraft and other games where players work together to build a community and work to save the planet from an asteroid.
“So it’s kind of this struggle between wanting to have nice things build your house and progress your character but realizing that it takes resources and these resources can lead to potential climate change,” said Chance Glasco, a senior fellow at the Arsht-Rock Resilience Center.
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The conference is expected to return next year.
