Residents of a Northern California county are being warned that environmental changes as a result of human-caused global heating will soon be felt by citizens if no adaptation processes are implemented.
What's happening?
According to the Marin Independent Journal, a report from the Marin County Civil Grand Jury in San Francisco has advised that every city and town needs to be prepared for rising sea levels.
The publication cited data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that suggests sea levels will rise by one foot in the San Francisco Bay Area by 2050. The Jury is now calling for protection efforts to be prioritized, as water levels are already impacting local areas.
"The consequences of sea level rise will not suddenly bubble up in 2050 in Marin, or elsewhere," the Jury's report said. "Impacts are already being seen and felt and they will become even more apparent and damaging over the coming years."
A study from the Transportation Authority of Marin's board of commissioners has identified 19 areas that are particularly vulnerable, including Marin City, Bel Marin Keys, the Hamilton wetlands, and Highways 37 and 101.
"Marin is facing 10-12 inches of sea level rise in the span of 26 years," the study observed. "But the water has already arrived. Marin residents have been experiencing sea level rise and related tidal flooding in Corte Madera, Marin City, Mill Valley, and Sausalito, among other towns. This trend will only increase in frequency and intensity over the coming years."
Why is sea-level rise concerning?
Rising sea levels, as NASA points out, are caused by two main factors related to increasing global temperatures: melting ice-caps and ice sheets, and the expansion of water under heat — and they can result in untold damage among communities.
Homes, businesses, infrastructure, and roads can all experience significant damage or total destruction, while flooding can also lead to a number of human health risks. If flood water reaches sewage plants or waste management sites, this can result in contaminated water that can cause sickness for anyone who comes into contact with it. Saltwater intrusion and contamination can also make domestic water supplies unusable.
Some communities will be more affected than others, and it's often low-income families who are most at risk from flooding itself — and find it harder to rebuild their lives after it.
What's being done about rising sea levels?
In Marin County, officials are looking to send sea-level protection funding to the communities most at risk first. The Marin Independent Journal also noted that the Grand Jury is seeking support from state and federal legislators to create a specific agency to deal with these challenges.
But, as NASA detailed, rising sea levels are encouraged by human-caused global heating. That means we can all play a part in protecting coastal communities on the front line of this impending disaster.
While local and national governments are responsible for implementing meaningful pollution reduction efforts and programs, our individual decisions can make a difference, too.
Ditching the car in favor of a bike or using public transport can reduce the planet-warming pollution we release into the atmosphere, as can utilizing renewable sources of energy and reducing our weekly consumption of meat and dairy products.
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