Just what can we do about rising sea levels?

[Quantum Windbag]

One of the scarier predictions about global warming is the suggestion that melting glaciers and ice caps could cause sea levels to rise as much as 15 to 20 feet over the next century. Set aside the fact that the best research we have - from the United Nations climate panel - says that global sea levels are not likely to rise more than about 20 inches by 2100. Rather, let's imagine that over the next 80 or 90 years, a giant port city - say, Tokyo - found itself engulfed by a sea-level rise of about 15 feet. Millions of inhabitants would be imperiled, along with trillions of dollars' worth of infrastructure. Without a vast global effort, could we cope with such a terrifying catastrophe? Well, we already have. In fact, we're doing it right now.
Since 1930, excessive groundwater withdrawal has caused Tokyo to subside by as much as 15 feet. Similar subsidence has occurred over the past century in numerous cities, including Tianjin, Shanghai, Osaka, Bangkok and Jakarta. And in each case, the city has managed to protect itself from such large relative sea-level rises without much difficulty.

Bjorn Lomborg - Cost-effective ways to address climate change

 

[uscitizen]

Drink more water.

 

[Mr. H.]

Caulking guns.

Lots of them.

 

[Flopper]

There is nothing to be done until it occurs. The nations of the world will not change until they have dramatic proof. We can only hope that when that proof arrives it is not too late. If it takes 15 feet water in New York or Tokyo, so be it. People live for today, not a hundred years from today. Environmentalist are deluding themselves to believe that scientific evidence will change policy and the way billions of people lead their lives.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

There is nothing to be done until it occurs. The nations of the world will not change until they have dramatic proof. We can only hope that when that proof arrives it is not too late. If it takes 15 feet water in New York or Tokyo, so be it. People live for today, not a hundred years from today. Environmentalist are deluding themselves to believe that scientific evidence will change policy and the way billions of people lead their lives.

Did you even read the article? Tokyo alone has sunk 15 feet since 1930, and it has not been inundated. Holland has vast stretches that are below sea level, and they are still around. Even if the fear mongering predictions of Gore were close to accurate it would not be a major problem even with today's tech level, never mind what we will be able to do in 100 years.

 

[uscitizen]

We will have no money to fight natures changes if we keep spending it on killing each other.
Humans tend to be led into fighting the wrong wars.

 

[Big Fitz]

Can we do anything? Nope. Because we have nothing to do with it.

Adapt and thrive. Stagnate and die.

 

[glew]

Humans tend to be led into fighting the wrong wars.

You mean like the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW's I & II? ...Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf Wars were not declared wars and haven't been fought as such. I think they were fought for the right reasons, but have floundered in the execution because of that. Outside of the US, I can't speak to reasoning of a different country and culture and the reasons they fight wars because I don't have the same life experience. What is important to them may not be important to me.

 

[glew]

Tokyo alone has sunk 15 feet since 1930, and it has not been inundated.

Speaking to Quantum's point, the first story of a large portion of Seattle had to be abandoned, long before such a thing as global warming and rising sea levels. Do you know that the sea level rises and falls several feet every day? Millions aren't dying and being left homeless because of that...You global warming, chicken littles, are a hoot...lolol

 

[Flopper]

There is nothing to be done until it occurs. The nations of the world will not change until they have dramatic proof. We can only hope that when that proof arrives it is not too late. If it takes 15 feet water in New York or Tokyo, so be it. People live for today, not a hundred years from today. Environmentalist are deluding themselves to believe that scientific evidence will change policy and the way billions of people lead their lives.

Did you even read the article? Tokyo alone has sunk 15 feet since 1930, and it has not been inundated. Holland has vast stretches that are below sea level, and they are still around. Even if the fear mongering predictions of Gore were close to accurate it would not be a major problem even with today's tech level, never mind what we will be able to do in 100 years.

No, you got me. I didn't read the article, just the first part of the post. I agree a lot can be done to adapt to global climate change. Hopefully, it won't be needed. However, I seriously doubt that the kind response environmentalist want will be forthcoming until there is either indisputable proof or other reasons for going green such as China faces now.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

There is nothing to be done until it occurs. The nations of the world will not change until they have dramatic proof. We can only hope that when that proof arrives it is not too late. If it takes 15 feet water in New York or Tokyo, so be it. People live for today, not a hundred years from today. Environmentalist are deluding themselves to believe that scientific evidence will change policy and the way billions of people lead their lives.

Did you even read the article? Tokyo alone has sunk 15 feet since 1930, and it has not been inundated. Holland has vast stretches that are below sea level, and they are still around. Even if the fear mongering predictions of Gore were close to accurate it would not be a major problem even with today's tech level, never mind what we will be able to do in 100 years.

No, you got me. I didn't read the article, just the first part of the post. I agree a lot can be done to adapt to global climate change. Hopefully, it won't be needed. However, I seriously doubt that the kind response environmentalist want will be forthcoming until there is either indisputable proof or other reasons for going green such as China faces now.

If there is a real need to go green it will happen. If governments try to force it it will take longer than if people have a chance to see that it is a problem for themselves, the same way it did in the 70s with pollution in general. I just do not think the projected temps and ocean rises as catastrophic, or even necessarily bad.

 

[Old Rocks]

Well, since nothing at all is going to be done about either in the US or China, the two biggest polluters, we shall certainly find out how it all goes down.

 

[Annie]

The US did its part, they elected Him:

Althouse: "This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."

June 4, 2008
"This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."
Most megalomaniacal line in Barack Obama's speech last night. We laughed a lot.

But, to be fair, he was speaking of looking back after a "long," "difficult" "journey" which he would take "with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations." And he's only going to slow the rise of the oceans.

and yes, he did say it:

Text of Obama's speech Tuesday