9.4 Sea Level Rise

You have no doubt seen numerous references to sea level rise, in the media and elsewhere, in recent years. With 60% of the world’s population living within 60 miles of the coast, the current rate of sea level rise – is 3.2 mm/yr. (~0.12 inches), and a predicted sea level rise of approximately 1 meter (39 inches or 3 feet, 3 inches) before the end of the 21st century – we know there will be serious consequences. Such phenomena as king tides, sunny day flooding, accelerated beach erosion, higher and more destructive storm surges, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater wetlands and aquifers are a few of the effects that we are hearing about more and more frequently. As these effects persist, difficult questions about the future of some coastal communities will have to be addressed by municipalities, local governments, states, and the federal government, and are indeed already being addressed. In fact, there are many examples around the U.S. and the world of ways in which sea level rise is becoming a persistent problem for residents, and plans and policies to address the issues are being implemented.