How Florida Ties Localities’ Hands on Everything from Environmental Regulation to Worker Protections

“I see it as a freedom issue,” said Raymer Maguire, Director of Campaigns and Policy at The CLEO Institute, a Miami-based organization focused on climate education and advocacy. “Every year, Florida is getting a little less free.”  SB 180 is Florida’s most expansive preemption law, but it is far from the only one. In the past decade, state lawmakers have passed a spate of prohibitions limiting local control over issues such as firearms, LGBTQ issues and, increasingly, environment and climate regulation.

By |2026-09-23T14:59:10-04:0023 September, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

In a state flood resilience program, some inland communities feel forgotten

“ While Resilient Florida is necessary, it's not sufficient,” said Yoca Arditi-Rocha, CEO of The CLEO Institute, a nonpartisan, climate-focused nonprofit. Local governments are bringing forward projects to protect critical assets like main roads, hospitals and water treatment facilities. “The state is not keeping pace with the demand,” Arditi-Rocha said.

By |2026-09-08T16:16:28-04:008 September, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

Coastal Florida towns received nearly $2 billion in flood grants while inland communities struggle to survive

Yoca Arditi-Rocha, CEO of The CLEO Institute, described the program as important but not enough, saying, "The state is not keeping pace with the demand."

By |2026-08-21T12:40:05-04:0021 August, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

Aging Matters: Hot summer days are a problem for the elderly

“If you have a neighbor who’s a senior, if you have a relative who’s a senior, check on them, because many heat-related illnesses can lead to death. And sometimes those preventable deaths happen because no one realizes that someone got ill from the heat.”

By |2026-07-29T11:56:11-04:0029 July, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

United Way Miami, Verizon equip families for the hurricane season

Through United We Prepare, more than 1,200 emergency preparedness kits will be distributed to residents in some of Miami-Dade County’s most hurricane-vulnerable communities. The initiative also features 10 heat and hurricane preparedness workshops hosted by The CLEO Institute and community distribution events focused on reaching neighborhoods most at-risk during hurricane season.

By |2026-07-28T11:46:30-04:0028 July, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

5 extreme heat communication strategies from mayors in hot cities

Miami-Dade County posts heat-related information on a trilingual website and partners with organizations like The CLEO Institute, a climate justice organization that is a “trusted voice in the community,” to help distill information, Levine Cava said.

By |2026-07-17T11:36:55-04:0017 July, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

Small Landscape Architecture Firms Can Take Action on Climate and Biodiversity

They advocate for climate and biodiversity action by participating in a number of local organizations, including the Marine Resource Council, Tampa Bay Regional Resilience Coalition, and Miami Waterkeeper. They collaborate with climate-minded groups like The CLEO Institute and educational institutions like the Sea Level Solutions Center at Florida International University.

By |2026-06-25T09:51:34-04:0025 June, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

The state strips power from local governments. You can change that | Column

The use of clean energy is expanding and continuing to get cheaper. This fact flies in the face of the arguments bill proponents made that transitioning to clean energy costs taxpayers more, when the reality is the opposite.

By |2026-06-16T10:15:19-04:009 June, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments

Community Leaders in Florida Say Trump’s FEMA Pullback Leaves Them Struggling to Fill the Void

Some of the recommendations in the report do not differ all that much from what already is in place, said Joanne Pérodin, Vice President of Programs at The CLEO Institute, a Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to climate education and advocacy. She also pointed out that state and local governments already are leaders in any recovery after a disaster.

By |2026-06-16T10:25:11-04:0026 May, 2026|2026, CLEO News|0 Comments
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