Sea Levels Rose Two Feet This Summer in U.S. East

The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Deveopment Commission is taking a pro-active approach with the inevitibility of sea levels rising. They issued a report in 2008 with some goals and objectives including the development of sea level maps that detail the areas most likely to be inundated around the San Francisco Bay and as far north is Suisun Marsh which is approximately 50 miles from San Francisco and 20 miles north of San Pablo Bay that connects the San Francisco Bay with the northern extremeties of the bay area.

The maps will show the predictions in sea levels rise within 50 years and within 100 years.  They will reflect scientic consensus on the highest rates of sea level rise expected within the scenario that reflects current global rates.

It can help determine the the socio-economic and ecological impact of the changes:

1) social and ecomonic value of existing and permitted built resources

2) Cost of protecting the resources through the construction of seismically safe levees and seawalls

3) Ecological value of natural resources to be impacted

4) cost of acquring upland areas to allow the wetlands to migrate as the sea levels rise

Now is the time to plan for the inevitibility of sea levels rising, so the protection of coastlines,  inland waterways, and wildlife sanctuaries can be preserved. 

If the Gulf Stream slows down, that is due to Climate change though, there for if the Gulf stream and the currant are the cause for the rise then the cause is Climate change.

In addition it would mean that the Gulf stream is collapsing faster then we anticipated, wish will result in an Ice age from Europe and higher precipitation in North Africa. 

It would also mean that the average temperature of the oceans is still rising and that the global average is rising as well.

Ice Age in Europe and Desertification in North America would be the result.

More Typhoons for us here in Asia and more natural disasters as well.

Agriculture will be a challenge, more so then it is already and famines are imminent, and this even in North America and Europe.

Wait till el Nino hits, imagine the 2010 olympics without snow according to weather experts

I went to the New Jersey shore this summer.  Can't say I noticed the difference, but I'm always following the weather, and the coastal issues.  They do matter to us in NJ, NY, and PA, for example.

Paschen

Desertification is already here in North America. : (

Some reports say that 40% of the rangeland in the United States is barren, but a lot of it so far is from improper land use, not climate change. So imagine what the impact could be with both systems effecting the land.

Here in the U.S., many become used to a landscape that is barren and don't realize it was not like that originally.   Praries were lush with all kinds of grasses and wildflowers, but they have turned to dust.  Greece used to be covered with trees but they were harvested faster than they could replenish themselves, so how do we percieve Greece now?  We think its suppose to covered in rocky, barren land, but it's not. 

The devastation in the wake of climate change is almost too grim to imagine  

Barry,

What is the plan if there isnt any snow?  This is unprecedented.

Thanks for this post, Barbara.  I hope it's only temporary rather than permanent rise.  Regardless, the world needs to work together to stem the potential devastating ramifications of global warming.

Desertification is almost always a result of cooler temperatures globally.  When will anyone admit we are going into an Ice Age?... By the way, a 2 ft rise in sea level does not necessarily mean anything.  The earth is not a perfect sphere, and there are variations of up to 50 ft naturally.  No cause for alarm.