coastlines
Rising seas lead to chronic flooding in Carolina Beach
In Carolina Beach, N.C., high tides and outdated infrastructure contribute to regular flooding, disrupting life in this coastal community.
Brady Dennis, Niko Kommenda, and Emily Wright report for The Washington Post.
In short:
- Coastal flooding in Carolina Beach, N.C., is becoming more frequent due to rising sea levels.
- The town's stormwater infrastructure, built generations ago, is now often submerged by high tides.
- Researchers have documented flooding on Canal Drive on 60 days over the past year, far exceeding federal projections.
Key quote:
“The higher tides are lingering more often. When we do have an event, it’s multiple days.”
— Jeremy Hardison, planning and development director for Carolina Beach
Why this matters:
Rising sea levels and more frequent flooding threaten infrastructure and daily life in coastal communities. This persistent problem inconveniences daily life and raises significant environmental and health concerns. The flooding can contaminate local waterways with pollutants, posing risks to marine life and the health of beachgoers. The infrastructure, often overwhelmed by the rising waters, struggles to cope, exacerbating the situation.
Keep reading...Show less
Photo by Jailam Rashad on Unsplash
The case for capping sea-level rise
More so than rising temperatures, rising seas offer tangible evidence of the harms of climate change, including coastal erosion, abandoned communities, sewage backups and overflows, contaminated water supplies, and increased insurance costs.
Photo by Mason Field on Unsplash
‘Losing your home is a massive thing’: How the climate crisis came to Norfolk
In Hemsby, people are watching their houses fall into the sea, while insurers refuse to pay out – and the authorities do nothing to help
Photo by Niklas Herrmann on Unsplash
NY finalizes list of ‘disadvantaged communities’ first in line for climate change funds
New York State has finalized the list of so-called “disadvantaged communities” to be targeted for extra funding and cleanup in the state’s ambitious multibillion-dollar climate plan.
Newsletter
Photo by Daniel Halseth on Unsplash
Climate change: Sea levels are rising — and it's going to get worse
One of the problems with sea level rise is that it happens slowly, a tiny bit each year, making it a threat that people have an easy time ignoring.
Climate change could disrupt Maine's coastal economy and culture
Climate change threatens to disrupt coastal life in Maine. Rising seas and extreme storms will cause increased flooding, erosion, and land loss. And rapidly warming ocean waters are shifting where different species of fish can thrive.
Newsletter
FracTracker Alliance/Flickr
‘Ukraine is a false justification’: America’s destructive new rush for natural gas
As the war in Ukraine sent natural gas prices skyrocketing, liquid natural gas (LNG) plants are springing up all along the fragile Gulf Coast – seriously harming not just local communities but the world’s ability to keep the entire climate crisis at bay.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
