Assume 6 Feet of Sea Level Rise: Predict Catastrophe
15th March 2016
Doubtless there is some utility in playing out worst-case scenarios as a way to plan for the future. That being said, the New York Times is reporting a new study, “Millions projected to be at risk from sea level rise in the continental United States,” in Nature Climate Change that calculates the number of Americans that would be affected by sea level rises between 3 and 6 feet by 2100 due to man-made global warming. As far as I can tell, the main contribution of the study is new coastal population projections. The researchers calculate that if sea level rises by 3 feet, the land that 4.2 million Americans live on will be at risk of inundation. If sea level rises by 6 feet, then 13.1 million Americans might have to move inland. The costs of relocating that many people could be as much $14 trillion. So researchers can now get their studies published in a prestigious scientific journal and publicized by leading newspapers by merely assuming a catastrophe. Neat trick.
On the other hand, I have this vision of seawater pouring down the stairs of a Manhattan subway stop. Mmmmm….
March 15th, 2016 at 12:32
List of Places Currently Underwater Because of Global Warming:
1.