Just in time for the feature film release of "Noah", a report from the non-profit "Architecture 2030" graphically paints a scenario that is a natural disaster of Biblical proportions The report does not show the worst case scenario, but a modest 1 to two meter sea level rise and it's effects on coastal cites around the United States. It gives a new meaning to the phrase "underwater mortgage".
Report text follows here:
"Beginning with just one meter of sea level rise, our nation would be physically under siege, with calamitous and destabilizing consequences. The U.S. is a coastal nation with over 12,000 miles of coastline. With 53% of all Americans living in and around coastal cities and towns, it is important to understand the impact of climate-induced sea level rise on our nation. Previous studies have focused on a six-meter rise. The following study takes a more conservative approach, beginning with a sea level rise of just one meter."
Sea Level Rise
"Once the process of ice sheet disintegration begins, the impact on the US is unremitting.
At each additional increment, additional cities and towns will be adversely affected.
As can be seen from the following images, a sea level rise of even one meter has serious consequences for the US. Our nation will be physically under siege, vulnerable to catastrophic property and infrastructure loss with large population disruptions and economic hardship."
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| Alameda, California at 5 meter sea level rise. |
"Scientists are now forewarning that, at approximately 450 parts per million (ppm) CO2 in the atmosphere, we will trigger potentially irreversible glacial melt and sea level rise “out of humanity’s control”.
We are currently at 398 ppm, and are increasing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 at about 2 ppm
annually. Continued growth of CO2-producing infrastructure and emissions for another 10 years will make it impractical, and most likely impossible, to avert exceeding the 450 ppm threshold."
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| San Francisco, California at 2 meter sea level rise. |
