Climate change has contributed to the severity of tropical storms, causing unprecedented coastal erosion and record rates of flooding. Countries around the world are searching for ways to prevent tropical storms from decimating their coastal infrastructure, and the University of Miami has found a tropical solution: coral reefs. Coral reefs can reduce wave energy by up to 97%. However, corals have also suffered from climate change, and are threatened by extinction. Cassie Sturman (@CassieSturman) interviews Diego Lirman and Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos from the University of Miami’s coral reef restoration team who empathize the importance of rescuing coral reefs from climate change. Learn more about the University of Miami's coral restoration program at their website, and find them on Twitter (@rescueareef). You can also follow the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Restoration Hub (@RestorationHub).

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If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for future episodes, e-mail us at futurecitiespodcast@gmail.com or find us on Twitter @FutureCitiesPod. Learn more about the Urban Resilience to Extremes Sustainability Research Network (UREx SRN) at www.sustainability.asu.edu/urbanresilience.