Ralph Santos ‘Writing 39C (Advocacy Project) Price 11-22-2017 The Seven Seas’ War: Dealing with the Rising Seas Figure I: ‘The mesmerizing Antarctic Iee Shelf shown melting highlighting the effects of global warming contributing to the dangerous trend of rising global sea levels. (Photo By: Maria Stenzel Source: National Geographic) The rate of rising sea levels possess a huge threat that requires the world’s attention. The effects of rising sea levels is starting to be felt in different parts of the world. Erosion, flooding, and fresh water contamination are the result of ocean water rising and flowing inland. For a with mejor coasted ches A came eee country"such as the United States, these consequences leadt-t0 social and economic problemas. Fat J teat, coos va} and weriness diswve Hens _examapte; flooding has led to the relocation of families je OF jonsi . Research has shown that can comhive to pee \eeving mone negited the rate of sea level rise has reached alarming levels, and more regions are in trouble ifthe-tread su s.ce*ble te continues. Rising sea levels is a complex issue that cannot be fixed over night. Multiple solutions <*> decelerate tHe tee pana apgige minionite i435 wredn for Ue US address-sueh-e-complicated problem. Cone collect ‘The breaching seas must be fought through streag efforts by the people and government. are required to ‘A way to reverse the trend is to attack its core, global warming. Collaborative efforts between officials and people can jump start environmental projects that can alleviate global warmingSantos 2 causing the rising trend to slow down. Alternatively, since rising sea levels can only be slowed down and not stopped, coastal management like building seawalls or fortifying infrastructure must be considered to limit the potential damage from rising sea levels. Unfortunately, swe peoges Prvplementahian projeets Trave been met with opposition due toast stisieii@Aacteand staggering costs. °° we- -Hre> Ultimately, damages caused by rising sea levels can only be dealt with by unified efforts “F Jen Flement addressing global warming and infrastruct jects. Skee tesemn OF phiears oe. Build that (Sea) Wall “We don’t know by how much or by when. But it’s going to rise. So our future planning 7 howe FA “SiEs’ coastal regions. The U.S. general coastline spans over 12,000 miles wi es SemsEzmneigednculifimia. According to Jochen Climate Forum, “We don’t know by how much or 30% on phere Seawalls ise proven' way to inhibit encroaching waters disrupt tieWmited must consider that.” a Full oF Hones) buiinessecs , and Ve verte. res eeres Hinkel, a senior researcher at the Global by when. But [sea level is] going to rise. So our future planning must consider that.” (Lehmann) We cannot stop the continuous growth of sea minimine levels, but we have the solatons the i. protecting physical assets fapprthewioher seas CostPer Coster Cost Per Linear Foot, LinearFoo!, Mile, mm) Newleve | S150 S92 sio453m0 RaiseLevee | $50 $69 $3584,750 NewSeawall | $5300 $678) 35847504 Moe Bdow te ner ® to contain its consequences. Seawalls provide long tem /<)fi “Renaete (exe arcs eee: ee (cts PiSpis We Recknncs.of the conat15 Sere the safety of civilians while cam 2 Figure 2: Coastal defense mechanisms like levees and seawalls Ihave proven to be costly for a country with massive coastal coverage like the United States. Inflation will lead 10 an inevitable increase in cost the slower we ‘implement them to protect coastal regions from the creeping seas. (Source: The Journal of Regional Analysis Pole “Cost of Defending Against Rising Sea Levels and Flooding in Mid-Atlantic Metropolitan Coastal Areas: The Basic Issues”)sehen OF te ine Santos 3 se decknent of a leger ta the United Motes Cost has been a hugefacter why coastal defense projects have-not been-imptementedin-a- bigger seat inrthe- United States. James Koch of the Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy highlights the significant increase, from 5,300 to 6,789 dollars, of sea wall construction cost per linear foot in a span of about a decade. In addition, maintaining these seawalls are estimated to cost “between 5 and 10 percent” of the original cost. (Koch 53) With thousands of miles to ‘i eae : Counted potentially cover across the United States coast, the eapetive price tag for this type of defense une tee gore met ote has put projects on hold. econmicel However, the benefits of seawalls outweigh the costs it will take to build them. Potential will notoaly affect damages caused by the rising seas is not juste-problem-for-coastal states. Major states like California, New York, Texas, and Florida have significant coast lines. These states have major _s.\ fo abe county. He eatin Country SURF political and economical influence. If these states fall victim to the trend, all.states will feebies ‘wrath-Coastal and inland states must work together in aiding the coast to fortify their defenses to the unforgiving seas. Hinkel sends a message regarding the importance of creating these walls despite its high costs stating that “if humans build dikes, the annual cost of flooding could drop from as high as $100 trillion, in an unprotected world, to about $80 billion.” (Lehmann) yp goiee Ae C808% Furthermore, Hinkel’s report asks for a sense of urgencytas “sea levels rise and socioeconomic a gy development increases the number of people and valuc of assets in the coastal floodplain.” \eosN8," gi Soe (Hinkel 1) Trillions of dollars and millions of lives can be saved if we invest in protecting the eS coast effectively and early.05 govt.Santos 4 Planning” (Sovacool 1180) program in 2010 is a great example of how tourism can be retained while Peo ectinn oer coat from rising sea levels. They implemented organic solutions like the Corset pees flooding while maintaining the natural ambiance of the Maldivian island. : is a complicated task that can be addressed by many different ways. There is the flexibility of use of mangrove tres at the island of Kudhahuvachoo to minimize the threat ff the seas like utilizing dhe hard defenseslike sea walls or Mf soft defenseJike the use of organic plants to address the rising seas and minimize the damages it can cause to areas near water. Water Under the Bridge “The condition of roads, bridges, schools, water, treatment plants, and other physical assets greatly influences the economy’s ability to function and grow.” Fortifying infrastructures is another key in minimizing the damages caused by rising sea enrrtize levels. Elizabeth McNichol of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities hieligit the importance of infrastructure investment for the country. If coastal cities begin to flood due to the rising sea levels, infrastructure is an area that will be affected heavily AReport from James Neumann et al. highlight the “increase in vulnerability of infrastructure across the United States” due to the effects of climate change like rising sea levels. (97) Damaged infrastructure will cost millions of dollars to repair, and would negatively impact the economy further due to disruptions in businesses and the relocation of affected areas. Investing in strengthening our infrastructure bic nel te il sesutin lowering repair costand disruptions that can hurt the American Sonoma"? 5 Can bereft vs BySantos 5 Like sea walls, cost is a huge reason why infrastructure projects lack progress. ‘MeNichols’s article claims that estimated cost of “bringing America’s infrastructure to a state of ‘good repair (a grade of B) by 2025 [is] $4.6 trillion, of which only about 55 percent has been committed.” (3) The government continues to underfund projects for infrastructure fortification Jeaving major infrastructure out of date. In fact, State and Local government spending on. infrastructure three years ago was at a 30-year low when spending dropped from 2.4 percent to 1.95 percent of the GDP (gross domestic product) in 2014. Ag—sea tees contre dts ire, Public infrastructure Has Been Neglected We conmot led tte g gormmnant cheep Heir ey ke aur domise. Figure 3: Roads, electricity, and schools are important infrastructures that we take for granted. As sea levels continue to rise, the funding gap between allocated Im 120m funds for public infrastructure seem to follow the Is ‘same trend. of S84 ion (Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, sata $0 bon “It’s Time for States to Invest in Infrastructure”) santo Research indicates that investing in infrastructure repair can fuel economic growth in betioes addition to protecting resources. McNichol ¥ighe-eiageetBat “the condition of roads, bridges, schools ... and other physical assets greatly affects the economy’s ability to function and grow.” (12). A functioning economy requires well built infrastructure able to withstand natural disasters. ‘As the world feels the wrath of climate change and rising sea levels, public infrastructure must Fe strengthen be improved to survive these conditions. The economic benefits of serang i ture prisiny rex (erels Can brn overshadow the cost to repair. -. Foxemaeempie; Toads, ports, and airports are necessary we canst leh ciate eermets damage Hose Ceiat ejemerte AY Ceo © BVCLESS for trade to progress. In-addition to the economic benefits, improved infrastructure has its use-for Fecal Nee rele Sotel tencats ‘Maintaining these resources to withstand more than just sea level rise open a bridge to ‘economic opportunities and social benefits that will counter its cost.Unteo alpro Cline chacget we Wy Peden emits 2 deioes (ep OY Santos 6 Killing Two Birds with One Stone Figure 4: Research has shown carbon as ‘emissions and deforestation the ‘main culprits of elimate change. A significant decrease in these actions can bode well for our futuresetimatdgand sea levels. Cotes’, chinete— (Source: Union of Concerned Scientists) Another way to deal with rising sea levels is by going on an all out war against its root cause, global warming. Global warming is responsible for melting ice sheets and increasing ‘ocean Water temperatures triggering the rise in global sea levels. The war on global warming is a complex issue that requires a plethora of solutions like the battle with rising sea levels. cal fag were F és 2lobal warming promotes one big theme about saving mother nature. Reducing carbon emissions and stopping deforestation is a great way to combat Regardless of its complexity, climate change as shown in figure 4. At a larger scale, major companies responsible for emissions and deforestation must consider alternatives to make their systems eco-friendly. @a- aye the othez-hand the public can have a huge impact reducing emissions and deforestation to he choices HE MOML In otertrs Jay Live? cor conbaile te He atte mitigate global warming. Slowing climate change will limit ocean thermal expansion and He (rd poses aiacer) melting ice sheets Tooling to the decline in the rate of rising sea levels. oid “Cutting the air pollutants ... worldwide by 30 to 60 percent ... would lower projected sea level ise by 22 to 42 percent” will Reducing carbon emissions and stopping deforestation have a powerful impact in mitigating climate change contributing to the effort to reverse the rising sea level trend. Carbon dioxide and several other air pollutants are known to trap heat and stay “for centuries in the> ¢ x x $ Santos 7 [Earth’s] troposphere” (Seeker). Healthy forests are needed to absorb heat-trapping gasses like herent atmosphere stimulating global warming. THevefere, dealing with global warming starts with reducing air pollution while keeping our forests green, Moreower, a Seeker article in 2013 emphasizes that “cutting air pollutants — by 30 to 60 percent ... would lower projected sea level rise by 22 to 42 percent” Seeker) by the year 2100, We are responsible SD dae is ies oer often regret tyes Despite its proven necessity, projects of reducing carbon emissions and deforestation have been a challenge due to the unwillingness of gf€W government officials and companies in related industries to comply and cooperate in saving the environment. Paul Griffin, head of the Carbon Disclosure Project repartee that only 100 companies are responsible for over 70 percent of carbon emissions, (Griffin) These companies must consider changes like converting to renewable energy or recycling resources to reduce the emissions they produce to contribute to the efforts on slowing climate change. Furthermore, a study in 2015 by the Union of Concerned Scientist studied big corporations’ efforts to get their beef from cattle raised on “deforestation- free” areas. While top companies like Wal-Mart and McDonalds earned the study’s top score, several other companies like Burger King and Pizza Hut still fail to commit using “deforestation- free” beef. (Gustin) We can only hope that these companies change course and commit to protecting the environment. To further exacerbate this issue, President Donald Trump and other officials continue to question the legitimacy of climate change. This leaves the United States “the only [powerful] country to reject” the Paris Agreement that focuses on global efforts to address climate change. (Meyer) Lack of movement and commitment by the current government and major companies has slowed the efforts in addressing climate change in the United States. Py official'sSantos 8 need to be more informed of the severity of climate change and rising sea levels; showing the potential social and economic dents in can produce if not dealt with. Conpornte dele Regardless of the conflicts this issue produces on a hifgheeteVal, the ae haas just as een sine He emirinmen fF much influence infighting climate change. Making conscioudea sions regina polaios make people huge assets in stopping global warming. Companies are not the only ones that ean make significant changes to fight climate change and the rising seas. Even though one person’s comeen 1 Stig on decisions to help the environment may not comparable to ie companys these contributions errs ow ry be made one shkepet—e bine accumulate with millions of people living in the United States. “Figure 5 shows sectors that contribute to gas emissions that harm our atmosphere. Majority of these sectors can be greatly influenced by smarter decisions by regular citizens. TOTAL U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY SECTOR IN 2013 Figure $: 31% Bestey 4 2013 recording by the Environmental 9% Aereatve Protection Agency of greenhouse gas emissions ‘2% connec & teense Broken down into different sectors. With electricity being the leading sector at 31 21% ey percent, smarter investment in more efficient technology and electricity conservation can be eta significant fighting emissions to fight global ‘warming and rising sea levels. (Source: World Resources Institute, “Putting a Price on Carbon: Reducing Emissions”) For example, electricity, a luxury humans take for granted, leads the figure on its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. If nothing is done, as the rise of technology and population continues, the future of electricity and green house emissions can be frightening. According to the World Resources Institute, “over four billion megawatt hours of lectricity are produced each year.” (Kaufmann et al. 7) How do we lower these numbers? A.Santos 9 solution to lower electricity consumption is to simply use less electricity. Simple changes like turing the lights off wien they are not in use or wing our air contoning less during the summer have a huge impact minimizing energy “Alternatively, the beauty of technological advancement today is the noticeable increase of availability of efficient home appliances. People have the power to minimize energy consumption by using these products that barely change their lifestyles. Lowering energy consumption ean save families a lot of money while saving the environment making this a win-win situation, The Bottom Line ‘The war against rising sea levels cannot be solved by one spontaneous solution. It requires a collaborative effort that can minimize its wrath to valuable resources in the United States and the world. Despite the consequences of the rising seas being proved by valid research, there continues to be a conflict between officials and the public whether or not rising sea levels and climate change is a cause for concern. We must continue to educate and spread the word to help them understand the damages sea level rise will cause unless dealt with. People need to be informed of the different solutions to disrupt sea level growth. Coastal defense management like seawalls have the goal of protecting lands and infrastructure from damages caused by sea water. Fortification of infrastructure share this goal with coastal defense management making sure that important resources that we use everyday like roads and buildings are up to code and are able to withstand the inevitable rise of global sea level. The government and public need to understand the importance of these investments in reducing the social and economical threat sea level rise can produce. Dealing with climate change is another way to deal with sea level rise. Reducing harmful emissions and deforestation can serve as a huge step for dealing with climate change that can aid our efforts to combat sea level rise. These proposed solutions are necessary to makeSantos 10 te were the trend) huge progress in-the fight against-see-evel-tise. Whether you live on a coastal region or further inland, addressing this issue is beneficial for all since the world is run on collaboration not isolation,