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Sea Level Rise

sea level rise graphic

Overview​

  • There are 1.9 billion people who live less than 100 kilometers from the coast.
  • One of the most dangerous and expensive consequences of climate change is the accelerated sea level rise.
  • Many countries have already taken action - Japan being a leading example.
  • New York City is also actively implementing measures to cope with sea level rise.

Companies to research​

  • Software products for city planning like ESRI, or Urban Footprint.

  • Consulting, planning, and engineering companies

    • Rebuild by Design - working on New York City’s Big U project.
    • Stantec - focuses on designing with the community in mind, and the services include coastal protection and flood risk management.
    • Mott MacDonald - engaged in infrastructure planning with an eye toward resilience, sustainability, and climate change adaptation.
    • Boskalis - specializing in dredging and maritime services, Boskalis works on coastal defense and riverbank protection projects.
    • AECOM - a global firm providing design, consulting, construction, and management services, including work on resilient infrastructure and coastal protection.
    • HR Wallingford - independent research and consultancy in civil engineering and environmental hydraulics, including studies on coastal and ocean engineering.
    • Deltares- an independent institute for applied research in the field of water and subsurface, providing expertise on coastal risk management.
    • Michael Baker International - Offers services in coastal and hydraulic engineering, with a focus on resilient infrastructure design.

  • Consider a government job with your local or regional planning department

Key Technologies​

Read the full Climate Change Adaptation Technologies for Water report by the UN Climate Technology Centre & Network.

  • Sea walls and coastal barriers
  • Mangrove and wetland restoration
  • Revetments
  • Flood prediction and monitoring
    • Remote sensing, GIS, and real-time monitoring using IoT sensors
    • Advanced machine learning models for predicting flooding and storm surges
  • Adaptive Building
  • Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)

Progress Made in New York City​

  • East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project aims to provide coastal protection to reduce flood risk from storms and rising sea levels along Manhattan's East Side.
  • The Big U project (designing a protective system around Lower Manhattan to guard against sea level rise).
  • Code and regulation updates to make flood-resistant construction methods and higher elevations for new buildings.
  • Investments in the restoration and creation of natural coastal buffers, such as marshes and oyster reefs, to absorb storm surges and adjust to rising sea levels.
  • Measures to ensure affordable and accessible flood insurance for residents, particularly those at highest risk.

Lessons Learned​

  • Early and proactive planning can better prepare cities for future challenges, minimize damage, and save resources in the long term.
  • Balancing physical and natural solutions
  • Physical barriers such as seawalls can provide important protection, but they also have limitations.

Challenges Ahead​

  • Predicting the exact rate and extent of sea level rise is challenging due to complexities in climate models
  • Balancing economic interests, social impacts, and environmental concerns
  • The high costs of implementing adaptation measures may strain the city's budget

Best Path Forward​

  • Regularly update climate projections and monitor sea level rise for informed decision-making
  • Prioritize the upgrading of existing structures and ensure new developments are resilient to sea level rise.
  • Share best practices and innovations with other cities, states, and countries.
  • In some cases, it may be necessary to consider retreat, moving people and infrastructure out of the most vulnerable areas.
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