The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission has voted unanimously to pass a development plan for land within 100 feet of the bay’s coastline. The plan—which requires that decisions about land use in the area consider factors including the latest climate science and the importance of wetland restoration—gives the agency a tool to deny […]
Tag Archives | climate change
What’s the Relationship Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather?
Posted on October 6, 2011
Some scientists give us the rundown: (From Climate Communication)
New, Non-Technical Sea Level Rise Primer for Southeastern US
Posted on August 17, 2011
Finding information on sea level rise that isn’t so vague as to be useless or too technical to understand can be tricky. Gary Mitchum (University of South Florida) has taken a stab at doing so in Sea Level Changes in the Southeastern United States—Past, Present, and Future. You can download a PDF of the report […]
FEMA Study Finds National Floodplains Projected to Grow by 40-45%
Posted on July 27, 2011
As reported in the New York Times, at last week’s Coastal Zone conference in Chicago, FEMA shared some results from a pending study looking at the projected effects of climate change on the National Flood Insurance Program. The short version? It’s not looking pretty, and the challenges won’t be confined to coastal areas either. Floodplains […]
“Adaptation Areas”—Some Good in Revised State Growth Management Laws
Posted on June 21, 2011
In their recent revisions to the state’s growth management laws, the Florida Legislature has included an interesting provision allowing communities to identify “adaptation action areas” in their comprehensive plans where the community “identifies one or more areas that experience coastal flooding due to extreme high tides and storm surge, and that are vulnerable to the […]
Rolling Easements: Finally, a Long-Term Approach for Rising Seas and Coastal Erosion?
Posted on June 21, 2011
It’s not hard to get overwhelmed when considering your community’s current flood and erosion problems. Add in projections for what future climates will bring and it’s enough to make you want to just stay at home (at least until the sea comes into your home). Unfortunately, nobody has found a silver bullet to save coastal […]
EPA and NOAA Combine Forces to Protect Coastal People and Ecosystems
Posted on June 16, 2011
John Bowie just shared this good news over on StormSmart Connect: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have announced a joint agreement that will protect the safety, health, and property of people living in or visiting coastal communities around the nation. The two agencies will partner with local […]
Community Says Addressing Sea Level Rise Good for Local Economy
Posted on June 5, 2011
In tough economic times, there are those who think that municipalities need to be less particular about growth in order to be more “business friendly,” especially for issues felt to be far off in the future, like sea level rise. But Portland, Maine is choosing to address sea level rise head-on, and at least one […]
Trying to Drive Climate Change Adaptation? Focus on Social, not Environmental Vision
Posted on April 21, 2011
Like most of us, I’d like to think that getting people the best information will drive them to make the right decisions. Certainly that’s been a big drive behind StormSmart Coasts. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that things aren’t that simple. It’s easy to find examples in our own lives of knowing better but still making […]
Want to Protect Your Community from Sea Level Rise? Protect Your Wetlands
Posted on April 18, 2011
When we first assembled the conceptual framework for StormSmart Coasts back in 2006, we made a deliberate decision to not focus on ecological and habitat issues. This wasn’t because we didn’t think these topics were important—clearly they were and are—but because we wanted to really zero in on hazards without getting entangled on all the […]