POWERFUL CAMPAIGN EXPOSES DANGER OF RISING SEA LEVELS DUE TO HEAT-TRAPPING EMISSIONS IN FLORIDA

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Watch the VIDEO and sign the petition at cleoinstitute.org/floridainemergency

MIAMI, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The extreme dangers posed to the state of Florida by heat-trapping emissions are at the center of a new innovative campaign unveiled today, featuring a unique gift shop with an unexpected twist. The CLEO Institute, VoLo Foundation, and the Union of Concerned Scientists partnered with Miami ad agency Zubi to create The Emergency State gift shop, which focuses on the most critical issue the state has: the climate crisis and how it will affect tourism, the economy, and the coveted Florida lifestyle in the coming years. Watch the brief VIDEO that reveals shoppers' shocking reactions as they realize something is drastically wrong and learn the hard way how the impact of the climate crisis can affect their daily lives. For more information and to sign the petition visit cleoinstitute.org/floridainemergency .

Presented by The CLEO Institute and powered by VoLo Foundation, two nonprofit organizations that are working to solve the climate crisis statewide, in partnership with the Union of Concerned Scientists, an organization that uses rigorous, independent science to solve our planet's most pressing problems, "Florida, The Emergency State" calls on individuals via this impactful video to anticipate the effects of rising sea levels and chronic flooding in their day-to-day lives. It urges them to help tackle the climate emergency by signing a petition stating their wish and stance to put Florida on a clean, renewable energy pathway and a rapid transition to net-zero emissions.

"Floridians are already experiencing the impacts of a changing warming climate in alarming ways. Extreme weather events like hurricanes and heatwaves are claiming lives, rising living costs, claiming precious habitat and species, erasing coastlines, threatening our drinking water supply, and so much more. Sadly, these impacts are not felt equally. Lower-income Floridians, and historically marginalized community members: people of color, indigenous communities, women, and the elderly, bear a disproportionate burden. The climate emergency can no longer be ignored, and our government has a responsibility to act with urgency and implement equitable climate solutions that prioritize people over profit now," said Yoca Arditi-Rocha, Executive Director of The CLEO Institute.

"Florida is already suffering the impacts of the climate emergency. We have the technology and science to solve this crisis and protect the well-being of our communities. Our elected officials must take the necessary steps to ensure we meet a net-zero emissions and clean renewable energy goal by 2040. The moment to act is now," expressed Thais López Vogel, founder, and trustee of VoLo Foundation.

"Floridians are on the frontlines of climate change, with sea level rise, rapidly intensifying hurricanes, and astounding levels of extreme heat set to batter the state. Florida's communities deserve bold, science-based, decisive action by their leaders to protect them from these threats and limit how bad they will get," commented Dr. Rachel Licker, Principal Climate Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists.

"Florida, The Emergency State" is supported by Adsmovil, a minority-owned and certified leading pioneer in Hispanic mobile advertising and digital media; and The Invading Sea, the opinion arm of the Florida Climate Reporting Network, a collaborative of news organizations across the state focusing on the threats posed by the warming climate.

SOURCE VoLo Foundation