The Coming Reality of Sea Level Rise: 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.   A 2- to 3-foot rise of sea level will make nearly all of the barrier islands of the world uninhabitable, result in inundation of a major portion of the world’s deltas, and make low-lying coastal zones like south Florida increasingly challenging communities in which to maintain infrastructure and welfare and to assure protection of life and property during hurricanes and other extreme events.  This paper is part of the ISGP Climate Change Arctic Program conference “Sea Level Rise: What’s Our Next Move,” Oct. 2-3, 2015, St. Petersburg, Florida.