Tag Archives: weather & climate

NOAA Climate Program Office Funding Climate Adaptation Projects (LOI Due 26 July)

New NOAA funding opportunity (via Christa Rabenold): Climate and Societal Interactions Program The Climate and Societal Interactions (CSI) Program provides leadership, both nationally and internationally, in developing interdisciplinary science and services, including assessments, for application in climate-sensitive sectors and regions. U.S. and, »read more

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East Coast Sea Level Rising Faster than it has in at Least 2,000 Years

This isn't good news. According to a new study to be published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week, sea level is rising faster along the U.S. East Coast than it has for at least 2,000 years. The study concludes that the ocean began rising an average of 2.1 millimeters per year some time between 1865 and 1892 and has not, »read more

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Rolling Easements: Finally, a Long-Term Approach for Rising Seas and Coastal Erosion?

It's not hard to get overwhelmed when considering your community's current flood and erosion problems. Add in projections for what future climates will bring and it's enough to make you want to just stay at home (at least until the sea comes into your home). Unfortunately, nobody has found a silver bullet to save coastal development from future sea levels, »read more

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Community Says Addressing Sea Level Rise Good for Local Economy

In tough economic times, there are those who think that municipalities need to be less particular about growth in order to be more "business friendly," especially for issues felt to be far off in the future, like sea level rise. But Portland, Maine is choosing to address sea level rise head-on, and at least one councilman thinks it's going to help draw, »read more

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Trying to Drive Climate Change Adaptation? Focus on Social, not Environmental Vision

Like most of us, I'd like to think that getting people the best information will drive them to make the right decisions. Certainly that's been a big drive behind StormSmart Coasts. Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that things aren't that simple. It's easy to find examples in our own lives of knowing better but still making less than logical decisions, »read more

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Want to Protect Your Community from Sea Level Rise? Protect Your Wetlands

When we first assembled the conceptual framework for StormSmart Coasts back in 2006, we made a deliberate decision to not focus on ecological and habitat issues. This wasn't because we didn't think these topics were important—clearly they were and are—but because we wanted to really zero in on hazards without getting entangled on all the complexities, »read more

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EPA Launches Climate Ready Water Utilities

EPA has released another set of tools to help communities adapt to climate change: this time they're focusing on water and wastewater utilities. If you only have a moment, start with the Climate Ready Water Utilities Toolbox. I know—another toolkit. But the EPA has taken an interesting strategy to address the primary challenge of toolkits: they're, »read more

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Sea Level Rise and Beaches: Not a Pretty Combination

Orrin Pilkey, always a lightening-rod for coastal climate change issues, has written a gloomy forecast for the world's beaches, and has the photos to justify his positions. He acknowledges that predicting the effects of sea level rise on beaches is complex, and that results will vary greatly depending on many factors. But overall, the picture isn't, »read more

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UN Program Tries to Make Cities More Climate Ready

No targeting funding for communities, but the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction may help with coordination. For more info, see the United Nations Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready, »read more

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New Climate Change Adaptation Tools

Last month, ICLEI (founded as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, but now going by "ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability") released some new tools as part of their new climate adaptation program for local governments. While the program isn't specifically targeting coastal communities, most of the resources they're sharing, »read more

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