The rising risks of rising tides
- Univ. of Lund (Sweden)
The erosion of beaches, flooding of agricultural land, and intrusion of saltwater into coastal streams could become a reality if temperatures climb. Over the past century, sea levels have risen 4 to 6 inches. Now, the Intergovernmental panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that sea levels will rise between 8 and 28 inches by 2070, say Hans Hanson, associate professor emeritus in the Department of Water Resources Engineering at the University of Lund in Sweden. Coastal communities, which harbor more than half the world`s population, are poorly equipped to combat the threat of encroaching waters. {open_quotes}Few public officials have developed comprehensive strategies to address the potential consequences of sea-level rise,{close_quotes} the authors say. In response to the lack of long-term strategies to address the potential consequences of sea-level rise,{close_quotes} the authors say. In response to the lack of long-term strategies, the IPCC has recommended that coastal nations implement coastal-zone management plans by 2000. {open_quotes}Low-lying islands and high-use, developed coastal areas... face an urgent need to develop strategies for coping with sea-level rise,{close_quotes} the authors conclude.
- OSTI ID:
- 457144
- Journal Information:
- Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy, Vol. 11, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Sum 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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