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Credit: Virginia Sea Grant/Flickr
Rising sea levels pose new challenges for southern US coasts
A rapid increase in sea levels across the southern U.S. is compelling coastal communities to adapt to unprecedented environmental changes.
Chris Mooney, Brady Dennis, Kevin Crowe, and John Muyskens report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Tide gauges from Texas to North Carolina show a sea level rise of at least 6 inches since 2010, mirroring the previous half-century's rise.
- The region faces multiple secondary effects, such as failing septic systems and higher insurance rates, alongside increased flooding.
- Local efforts to adapt are underway, including infrastructure enhancements and federal funding initiatives to mitigate future risks.
Key quote:
“Storm water flooding is getting worse and is unsustainable. Almost all our systems are gravity fed, and they were built out a long time ago.”
— Renee Collini, director of the Community Resilience Center at the Water Institute
Why this matters:
Persistent, inexorable sea level rise challenges existing infrastructure and increases risks by, among other things, contaminating water supplies and limiting access to essential services. Read more: Severe flooding increasingly cutting people off from health care.
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Credit: AlexMax/BigStock Photo ID: 18840950
Climate change impacts immune health globally, leading to an epidemic of diseases
The invisible effects of climate change are disrupting our bodies, notably our immune systems, by contributing to a surge in immune-mediated diseases like allergies and cancer.
In short:
- Climate change exacerbates immune-related diseases by harming the body's natural defenses and its ability to recover, affecting children and adults alike.
- A nutritious diet and exposure to diverse ecosystems, crucial for a strong immune system, are threatened by climate-induced changes.
- Investing in climate change mitigation can significantly reduce healthcare costs and improve public health, underscoring the urgent need for global policy action.
Key quote:
"Every $1 spent on mitigating climate change would save at least $3 in health care costs."
— Kari Nadeau, professor of climate and population Studies at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Why this matters:
Addressing climate change is not just an environmental issue but a crucial health imperative that could save lives and reduce healthcare costs. Climate change has long been recognized as an external threat multiplier and these findings demonstrate the mounting impact of climate stressors on the global burden of disease.
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Credit: Global Justice Now/Flickr
Pre-pesticides, pro-farmer: the rise of agroecology
One part ancient practices, one part worker justice, a new-old way of farming is adapting agriculture for an uncertain world.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
DeepMind wants to use AI to solve the climate crisis
WIRED spoke with DeepMind’s climate lead about techno-utopianism, ways AI can help fight climate change, and what’s currently standing in the way.
Judge rules in favor of Montana youths in a landmark climate case
The court found that young people have a constitutional right to a healthful environment and that the state must consider potential climate damage when approving projects.
| Stock Photo ID: 436537955 |
| Copyright: VectorMine |
Biden administration bets big on giant carbon-sucking vacuums
Projects in Texas and Louisiana will become a global testing ground for giant machines that aim to slow global warming by vacuuming carbon from the air.
UNESCO says Venice should be added to heritage danger list
UNESCO's proposal is the latest alarm bell over the future of Venice — one of the world’s most fragile and popular cities – and Italy's efforts to protect it.
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