Experts Caution Rising Sea Levels Along Coastal U.S. Will Be Problematic

NPG
March 15, 2022
NPG Commentary
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March 15, 2022

Rising Sea Levels Will Affect Millions of People

Human action is at it again. Politico recently published an article about a study on rising sea levels along U.S. coasts, which has determined that sea levels “will rise by as much as a foot in the next 30 years as climate change accelerates.” This will dramatically increase the number of Americans exposed to flood risk. The study, conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), determined that “climate change driven largely by burning fossil fuels will raise average sea levels adjacent to the U.S. shoreline as much in the next 30 years as they rose in the previous century.” With such an astounding outlook, it is hard to believe that additional concerns were also identified. Author Zak Coman notes: “Even more certain is the prediction that melting ice sheets, heavier rainfall, and higher storm surges from rising temperatures risk lives and billions of dollars of property and infrastructure.”

In a statement, NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad noted: “This is a global wake-up call and gives Americans the information needed to act now to best position ourselves for the future.”

The newly updated research and observational data point to our collective failure to slash emissions to address climate change. Human inability (or unwillingness?) to tackle these environmental challenges will only accelerate the disastrous effects on our coastal shores and further inland. Zeroing in on another aspect of human action that affects climate change, the study surmises: “Tens of millions of people already live in areas of the U.S. at risk of coastal flooding, with more moving to the coasts every year…This population migration, combined with rising sea levels and other climate impacts, will increase their vulnerability and the risks of flooding for critical infrastructure affecting sectors such as transportation, energy, water, and the military.”

This study clearly illustrates that climate change is anchored to humans burning fossil fuels. What is not clear is whether or not our neighbors and fellow Americans will hear the call to action and begin to make different choices for the betterment of the earth and its inhabitants. Protecting the planet is the surest foundation for a sustainable future. NPG believes fewer human activities, which lead to carbon dioxide emissions, can be achieved by working together to slow, halt, and eventually reverse population growth.

To read more about population issues, please explore NPG’s Forum paper series, particularly:

On The Wrong Track: Why the Endangered Species Act Isn’t Enough, by Karen Shragg

How COVID, Climate, and the Cartels Reshape U.S. Refugee Policy, by Edwin S. Rubenstein

Climate Change, Migration and National Security, by Edwin S. Rubenstein