. >> reporter: david reidmiller is the director of the climate center with the institute.ouraging those in attendance to take photos and post to social media, as well as an online database tracking sea level rise, reidmiller says the hope is, after witnessing the floodi firsthand, residents will begin to drive the conversation. >> when people can see how this is actually manifesting in their day-to-day life, they can then go to city council hearings. they can then start writing letters to their senators. they can start calling their representatives. it's really important that pele get engaged in it and understand how it affects them, because once you have an understanding of how it's going to affect you, you're going to be compelled to act. >> reporter: it is striking, when you think about the distant projections of arctic ice melts, sea level rise in places like the maldives, versus walking down your street and seeing a noon-time king tide flood. >> yeah. you know, what happens in one place in the world really echoes across the globe. and the experience that the maldivian