The Coming Reality of Sea Level Rise Along the New Jersey Coast: Too Fast Too Soon

The reality of accelerating rates of sea level rise as the result of human-induced global warming is becoming increasingly dire and urgently needs to be addressed.  The projected global sea level rise will create challenges for low-lying coastal zones, including maintaining community infrastructure and welfare, continuing viable agriculture, and assuring protection of life and property during hurricanes and other extreme events. For the New York/New Jersey region, significant regional influences must be added to the global rate. Thorough, transparent community planning for the coming reality is urgently needed now. This paper was prepared for the ICCAP conference The Shore’s Future: Living with Storms & Sea Level Rise, Nov. 20-21, 2015.