Record floods and extreme weather: Florida’s floods are linked to climate change
5 thoughts on “Climate Change Impacts Hit Florida”
When I discover the latest one of these around the world I am both horrified for the folk who live right there and, at the same time, ironically encouraged by the thought that these same folk — those who survive — are more inclined to realise that urgent action to curb climate change is needed.
“Direct causation cannot be proven for individual extreme weather events”, but the systemic causation is obvious.
Yes, the whole climate change conversation has become a whole lot more personal for many people, and as you point out, it will continue to be. We are at a critical point in human history, and the outcome is not yet decided. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying to be around for it.
Florida is so very screwed by climate change impacts and there’s almost nothing it can do to adapt. Miami is one of America’s cities most vulnerable to sea level rise. Even sea walls are not very effective as the bed rock underlying much of the state is incredibly porous. There’s no point spending fortunes trying to keep the water from coming over a sea wall when it can pass freely beneath. For a state that’s already freshwater stressed, saltwater inundation is a huge problem. Desalination plants anyone?
New Orleans isn’t the only city that’s sinking. Many coastal cities are experiencing subsidence, the Lower Mainland of Vancouver included. This subsidence magnifies the impacts of sea level rise and leaves affected areas even more vulnerable to destructive storm surges.
It’s tempting to point out that Florida is a GOP stronghold, but I will refrain from that kind of schadenfreude. Especially because it’s not just Florida that’s going to feel greater and greater effects of a destabilized climate, as you point out.
When I discover the latest one of these around the world I am both horrified for the folk who live right there and, at the same time, ironically encouraged by the thought that these same folk — those who survive — are more inclined to realise that urgent action to curb climate change is needed.
“Direct causation cannot be proven for individual extreme weather events”, but the systemic causation is obvious.
Yes, the whole climate change conversation has become a whole lot more personal for many people, and as you point out, it will continue to be. We are at a critical point in human history, and the outcome is not yet decided. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying to be around for it.
Florida is so very screwed by climate change impacts and there’s almost nothing it can do to adapt. Miami is one of America’s cities most vulnerable to sea level rise. Even sea walls are not very effective as the bed rock underlying much of the state is incredibly porous. There’s no point spending fortunes trying to keep the water from coming over a sea wall when it can pass freely beneath. For a state that’s already freshwater stressed, saltwater inundation is a huge problem. Desalination plants anyone?
New Orleans isn’t the only city that’s sinking. Many coastal cities are experiencing subsidence, the Lower Mainland of Vancouver included. This subsidence magnifies the impacts of sea level rise and leaves affected areas even more vulnerable to destructive storm surges.
It’s tempting to point out that Florida is a GOP stronghold, but I will refrain from that kind of schadenfreude. Especially because it’s not just Florida that’s going to feel greater and greater effects of a destabilized climate, as you point out.