Op-Ed: New Jersey Is Drowning In Rising Sea Levels
Teresa White
New Jersey is a hot spot for sea level rise. The environmental issue is putting the state’s coastal communities, ecosystems, and economies at risk. There is an urgent need to educate coastal decision-makers and the general public for disaster preparedness, flood risks, and climate adaptation. In order to prevent sea level rise progress any further, we as the human race need to work together.
NJ has undergone rising sea levels at over two times the global average, according to the 2019 Science and Technical Advisory Panel report. This is mostly because South Jersey is gradually sinking as water levels go up. Rutgers University underwent a study that indicated sea level rise in the 20th century around the globe was the fastest it has been in the past 3,000 years. Our beautiful planet is at major risk with increasing levels at this rate. According to a new report released by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Garden State is projected to experience “dramatic” sea level rise through the rest of this century. With this, worsening storm surges and more frequent flooding will occur in NJ.
“New Jersey is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and we must work together to be more resilient against a rising sea and future storms,” said Governor Phil Murphy (NJ.com).
Thermal expansion is responsible for a whopping 40% of the world’s sea rise in the past 25 years. To break it down, this means that seawater is expanding due to the heat trapped by greenhouse gasses. These greenhouse gasses are then caught in the atmosphere and absorbed by the oceans - causing more and more damage. Another main contributor to rising oceans is the melting of ice sheets and glaciers. The faster the ice melts, the more sea levels will increase with it. The melted ice currently accounts for 45% of global sea level rise. Even more concerning, the rate of sea level rise is rapidly increasing. These numbers are alarmingly high, and we need to get them down to save the environment we thrive in today.
“The shore is the state’s most prominent tourist destination and the life-blood of the economy. However, the concentrated development that characterizes New Jersey’s coast leaves many people and structures dangerously vulnerable to subsiding and eroding coastlines, increasingly frequent and severe storms, and growing flood risks associated with sea-level rise” said David Kutner, Planning Manager, New Jersey Future.
When Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey in 2012, a landfall formed and caused $37 billion in damages to the state (Sea Level Rise.org). I remember returning to my family’s beach town after the storm had passed and seeing the devastating effects for miles down the shore’s coast - it was completely destroyed into rubble. If sea level rise was not the pressing issue it is today, this 8.9 foot storm surge would have been significantly lower.
What Can We Do?
Sea level rise has affected not only New Jersey but the entirety around the globe. We can combine forces - whether it be governors, legislators, or individuals - to build protections for future flooding impact, as well as future-proof our communities from further harm. To reduce further risk, we must move to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and prepare ourselves for continuing sea level rise.
Sources:
“Sea Level Rise in New Jersey: Projections and Impacts.” New Jersey Climate Change Resource Center. Accessed May 9, 2022. https://njclimateresourcecenter.rutgers.edu/climate_change_101/sea-level-rise-in-new-jersey-projections-and-impacts/
SeaLevelRise.org. “New Jersey's Sea Level Is Rising.” Sea Level Rise. Accessed May 9, 2022. https://sealevelrise.org/states/new-jersey/
“New Jersey’s Rising Seas and Changing Coastal Storms.” Accessed May 9, 2022. https://www.nj.gov/dep/climatechange/pdf/nj-rising-seas-changing-coastal-storms-stap-report.pdf
Lindsey, Rebecca. “Climate Change: Global Sea Level.” Climate Change: Global Sea Level | NOAA Climate.gov. Accessed May 9, 2022. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level
Nunez, Christina, and National Geographic Staff. “Sea Level Rise, Facts and Information.” Environment. National Geographic, February 16, 2022. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/sea-level-rise-1
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Teresa White
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By Muhammad Hassan7 days ago in Earth
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