Heavy rains leave Miami Beach flooded.
Credit: National Weather Services

Most of our planet’s seven billion people now live in cities. Historically these have been built near lakes, rivers and oceans — sources for food, water and transportation.

According to recent estimates from the United Nations, more people are moving into cities and by 2050, two out of three will be living in these urban centers. For the hundreds of millions living in coastal cities, the end of this century and beyond looks to bring significant existential challenges. This includes those residing in the South Florida megalopolis that extends from Miami to Palm Beach.

From my office window in Miami, I can see a fraction of the trillions of dollars invested in a super-infrastructure designed to make our city life more comfortable. But I can also see a menacing Atlantic Ocean, which already frequently inundates our streets with salt water, even on sunny days.

That’s […]