Nonetheless, it's a duty to give this a try. For the 800,000 years prior to the Industrial Revolution,..through Milankovitch Cycle after Milankovitch Cycle when Atmospheric CO2 concentrations varied from 180 ppm (Ice Ages) to 300 ppm (Warm Periods). In just the last 100+ years that concentration has risen rapidly to 425 ppm, with no peaking in sight.
Also note that at current rates of sea level rise, in 80 years, seas would elevate by 3 feet...now ask yourself...how much time and expense would it take to find new places for the Billion+ people affected to be relocated, and new ports/infrastructures, etc.to be replaced.
Think we should have started earlier...or thing there's nothing to be worried about? Before replaying take a peek at the future through this AI summary...
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AI Overview
A 3-foot rise in sea levels would cause catastrophic harm to coastal cities globally, leading to permanent land inundation, systemic infrastructure failure, and economic devastation. Millions of residents would face chronic displacement, while vital utilities and ecosystems would collapse without massive, multi-billion-dollar defensive interventions.
The cascading effects of a 3-foot sea level rise present severe threats across several distinct areas:Permanent Inundation & Land Loss: Low-lying and flat coastal regions (like the U.S. Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts, as well as island nations) would experience permanent flooding and lose major chunks of land mass.
For every foot of rise, beaches can recede by 50 to 100 feet, risking the total elimination of many recreational shorelines.Exacerbated Storm Surges: A higher baseline water level means that even moderate storm surges and hurricanes would push much further inland. Events like Hurricane Katrina or Superstorm Sandy would have exponentially larger, deadlier, and more destructive footprints.Infrastructure Failure:
Critical infrastructure—including ports, airports, subways, power plants, and sewage treatment plants—would face persistent damage or total disablement. Nuisance (high-tide) flooding would become a daily, disruptive reality for roads and rail lines.
Water & Health Crises: As the ocean creeps into coastal aquifers, saltwater intrusion would contaminate local drinking water and agricultural irrigation sources. Additionally, the flooding of urban areas increases the risk of waterborne illnesses and the spread of contaminants from destroyed industrial/chemical sites.Economic Devastation:
The financial burden of replacing property and upgrading coastal defenses (such as building massive seawalls) would strain local and national economies. Industries reliant on coastal activities, including tourism, real estate, and shipping, would face devastating, multi-billion-dollar losses.
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Link: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level