“We have to adapt and overcome, that’s all we can do.”
Frank Knight, Economist
Holy cow…it’s getting hot around here! In order to deal with this troubling trend, we’re going to have to walk and chew gum at the same time. What does this mean? First and foremost, we need to mitigate the source of the problem by cutting heat-trapping pollution. And, at the same time, we have to adapt to the effects of rising temperatures.
When you think mitigation, think replacing oil and coal with solar, wind, and nuclear energy. Other ways to mitigate include wasting less food, driving electric vehicles, and using electric appliances. On the other hand, adaptation means employing strategies to deal with the consequences of a warmer world. Some examples are: planting drought-resistant crops, clearing brush in wildfire-prone areas, and developing storm evacuation plans.
Here’s the deal, even if every country in the world stopped emitting heat-trapping gases right this minute, temperatures would continue to rise for a while before they began to fall. So, even in the best-case scenario, things are going to get worse before they get better. Climate adaptation means finding innovative ways to cope with our changing world until we right the ship.
A hopeful example of adaptation
All over the world, coastal regions are being harmed by rising sea levels. As a beach lover, this one hits home. Sadly, in some places, erosion has already significantly disrupted communities and economies. And it is accelerating. In fact, the United Nations estimates that by 2050, 1.2 billion people could be displaced because of rising seas. Mind-boggling.
Many coastal areas in the U.S. are already scrambling to adapt through strategies like dredging and rebuilding dunes. Unfortunately, these solutions are expensive, can damage ecosystems, and are often short-term bandaids. The Maldives is taking a different approach, and beaches are regrowing. It’s wild.
A group of smarties at M.I.T. came up with a brilliant adaptation strategy for erosion. They use AI along with satellite data on ocean currents to predict where coastal erosion is likely to happen. Next they install a pattern of structures made from marine concrete, sand and shells. The barriers prevent eroding waves while coaxing the sand through.
M.I.T. spun off the technology and formed a public benefit corporation called Coastal Assembly. The results of their first project in the Maldives are remarkable. Not only has the beach doubled in size, but coral is growing on the structures, bringing fish and other wildlife. Hmmm…maybe I should go check it out in person?
Similar projects are in the queue for Boston and Miami. Most promising of all is how quickly they can predict where erosion is likely to happen. It used to take months to study an area and come up with a plan; now it can be done in one day. This is great news for coastal communities around the world, especially low-lying island nations.
One final note…
My friends at C-Change Conversations have a new podcast called Simmer Down. If you like the tone of this blog, I think you will enjoy it. The latest episode ties in nicely with the topic of sea level rise. Kathleen Biggins interviewed Ben Keys, professor of real estate and finance at UPenn Wharton about the current and future impacts of climate change on the housing and insurance markets. It’s a great listen.
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Talk about it. Help solve it.