Jamaica Bay, one of the areas of New York City that’s on the frontlines of climate change
Credit: Nathan Kensinger/Curbed
The fact that rising sea levels will adversely impact New Yorkers is not surprising, but the alarming rate at which it might do so has been brought to the fore in a new report [PDF!] prepared by the Regional Plan Association, CityLab first reported.
Under Water How Sea Level Rise Threatens the Tri-State Region suggests that sea levels could rise by as much as one foot by 2050, with some estimates placing it even sooner at 2030. The RPA has created three scenarios analyzing how this region will be impacted with a sea rise of one, three, or six feet.
In New York City, our coastal neighborhoods will be the most affected. With a one-foot rise, the Rockaways, Jamaica Bay, parts of Coney Island, and the eastern shore of Staten Island will be impacted. At three-feet, which is anticipated around 2080, Broad Channel, Arverne, Edgemere and Howard Beach will all feel a […]
All of these articles use words like “may, might, could.” The most likely response to this is “let’s wait and see.” Prediction is a very unreliable business, and the further out you project the more inaccurate you are likely to be. It is extremely important to know when trends change.
That’s the way scientists always talk, because science is a process. But 98% of them will tell you “may” “could” “might” aside it’s happening and you better get prepared… or else.
Scientists can only measure the small incremental changes which ordinary people cannot observe. It would take a large change like a massive break in the Antarctic ice sheet which causes a quick, large change to wake people up to the threat of climate change.