“If there’s a heaven for me, I’m sure it has a beach attached to it.”
Jimmy Buffet
I’m a beach person. Growing up a few miles from the ocean on the North Shore of Boston (aka noth shua), I spent my summers catching crabs in the rocky tide pools, and soaking up the sun while covered in baby oil (do not recommend). Now living three hours from the North Carolina coast, my family and I spend as much time there as possible (now wearing sunscreen). But I can’t help wondering about the future of our beaches.
Changing coastline
Over the years we have noticed changes:
- The tides come up higher
- The beach is eroding
- Flooding is more frequent
- Storms are stronger and dump more rain
These things are interconnected, and they have a lot to do with the warming ocean.
Sea level rise
Sea level rise has two main causes. First, the warmer temperature causes the water to expand. And second, because of the warmer water, ice sheets in the arctic are melting. That water has to go someplace, so it flows throughout oceans around the world.
According to NOAA, sea level on the East coast will rise 10-14 inches by 2050. On the Gulf coast, estimates are 14-18 inches. As a result, major flooding is predicted to occur 5x as frequently as it does now. Think about how devastating and costly that will be. In fact, many coastal communities around the world are already in crisis.
Hurricanes
We aren’t having more hurricanes in the US – although it does seem that way – but they are becoming more severe. Because of the warmer ocean water, storms intensify more quickly and absorb more water, leading to increased rainfall.
Beach erosion
Meanwhile, beach erosion is accelerating because of the one-two punch of rising sea levels and stronger storms. In fact, according to data from NASA, when a beach is eroding, it can lose several feet of sand a year, even without a major storm.
The future
The future of our beaches and coastal communities depends on our collective actions today. We need to get to net zero as quickly as possible to preserve all of this for our kids and their kids. It’s not too late.
If you want to know what your leaders are doing to protect beaches and coastal communities, ask them. And if you have concerns, tell them.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.