There are some things more important than the price of an mcf of natural gas or a barrel of oil - GoHaynesvilleShale.com2024-03-28T15:30:05Zhttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/forum/topics/there-are-some-things-more-important-than-the-price-of-an-mcf-of?xg_source=activity&id=2117179%3ATopic%3A3853985&feed=yes&xn_auth=noNew U.N. climate report: Mass…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-25:2117179:Comment:38564322019-09-25T12:32:25.878ZSkip Peel - Mineral Consultanthttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/ilandman
<p><strong>New U.N. climate report: Massive change already here for world’s oceans and frozen regions</strong></p>
<p><strong>Growing coastal flooding is inevitable, and damage to corals and other marine life has already been unleashed. But scientists say the world still has time to avert even more severe consequences.…</strong></p>
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<p><strong>New U.N. climate report: Massive change already here for world’s oceans and frozen regions</strong></p>
<p><strong>Growing coastal flooding is inevitable, and damage to corals and other marine life has already been unleashed. But scientists say the world still has time to avert even more severe consequences.</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/09/25/new-un-climate-report-massive-change-already-here-worlds-oceans-frozen-regions/?wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1" target="_blank">https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/09/25/new-un-climate-report-massive-change-already-here-worlds-oceans-frozen-regions/?wpisrc=al_news__alert-hse--alert-national&wpmk=1</a></p>
<p>By <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/chris-mooney/">Chris Mooney</a> and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/brady-dennis/">Brady Dennis</a> September 25 at 5:00 AM washingtonpost.com</p>
<p>Climate change is already causing staggering impacts on the oceans and ice-filled regions that encompass 80 percent of the Earth, and future damage from rising seas and melting glaciers is now all but certain, according to a sobering new report from the United Nations.</p>
<p>The warming climate is already killing coral reefs, supercharging monster storms, and fueling deadly marine heat waves and record losses of sea ice. And Wednesday’s report on the world’s oceans, glaciers, polar regions and ice sheets finds that such effects only foreshadow a more catastrophic future as long as greenhouse gas emissions remain unchecked.</p>
<p>Given current emissions levels, a number of serious impacts are essentially unavoidable, says the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).</p>
<p>Extreme floods that have historically struck some coastal cities and small island nations once every 100 years will become an annual occurrence by 2050, according to the IPCC. In addition, if emissions continue to increase, global sea levels could rise by more than three feet by the end of this century — around 12 percent higher than the group estimated as recently as 2013. Melting glaciers could harm water supplies, and warming oceans could wreck marine fisheries.</p>
<p>“As a result of excess greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the ocean today is higher, warmer, more acidic, less productive and holds less oxygen,” said Jane Lubchenco, a former administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “The conclusion is inescapable: The impacts of climate change on the ocean are well underway. Unless we take very serious action very soon, these impacts will get worse — much, much worse.”</p>
<p>More than 100 scientists from around the world contributed to the latest report by the IPCC, which found that profound and potentially devastating consequences lie ahead for marine life, Arctic ecosystems and entire human societies if climate change continues unabated.</p>
<p>Wednesday’s report comes on the heels of other IPCC warnings about the grave threats climate change poses. Recently, the group <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/08/08/solving-climate-change-requires-fixing-forests-food-landmark-un-report-finds/">detailed how</a> the world’s land and water resources are facing “unprecedented” levels of exploitation and how those changes endanger the global food supply. Last fall, the IPCC also warned that the world must make rapid, sweeping changes to energy, transportation and other systems to hold warming below an increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, a key threshold singled out in the Paris climate agreement.</p>
<p>The findings also come as world leaders <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/09/23/countries-promise-more-aggressive-action-un-climate-summit-is-it-enough/">gathered this week</a> at the United Nations for a much-anticipated “climate summit” aimed at injecting new momentum into the flagging effort to persuade countries to do more to move away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner forms of energy. While dozens of smaller nations did unveil plans for coming years, the world’s largest emitters have stopped short of committing to transformational changes.</p>
<p>“The climate emergency is a race we are losing — but it is a race we can win if we change our ways now,” U.N. Secretary General António Guterres told world leaders Tuesday in his latest attempt to spur action. “Even our language has to adapt: What once was called ‘climate change’ is now truly a ‘climate crisis.’ … We are seeing unprecedented temperatures, unrelenting storms and undeniable science.”</p>
<p>The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/climate-environment/climate-change-world/">recently detailed</a> how shifting currents and worsening ocean heat events have already triggered die-offs of coastal clam species, worsening algal blooms and shifting fish catches in the South Atlantic along the coasts of Uruguay and Argentina, a hot spot for climate change. Wednesday’s report suggests similar changes are playing out across the world’s oceans — in some areas more than others.</p>
<p>One of the document’s most striking findings involves the rise in sea level, which is now being driven mainly by the rapid melting of ice in Greenland, Antarctica and the world’s smaller glaciers. Sea level rise is accelerating, and the world could see 3.6 feet in total sea level rise by the year 2100 in a very high-emissions scenario. In 2013, the IPCC had estimated that value at slightly over three feet.</p>
<p>But the truth is that even these estimates may be too small, because when scientists behind the report looked at an alternative method for gauging how much seas could rise — simply canvassing the views of experts — even larger estimates emerged. The group’s findings only highlight “likely” amounts of sea level rise, meaning they do not represent worst-case scenarios.</p>
<p>For some major coastal cities, a historical 100-year flood event will happen annually by the year 2050 even in a low emissions scenario, the report finds. That includes large cities such as Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, Lima, Singapore, Barcelona and Sydney, according to the IPCC. In the United States, cities facing this fast-moving sea-level danger include Los Angeles, Miami, Savannah, Honolulu, San Juan, Key West and San Diego.</p>
<p>“The world’s coasts provide a home to around 1.9 billion people and over half of the world’s megacities — all of which are in grave danger if we don’t act immediately to prevent rising temperatures and sea levels,” Hildalgo said in a statement. “Extreme high temperatures, coastal flooding, and more frequent natural disasters are becoming the new normal ... This is what the climate crisis looks like now.”</p>
<p>Like coastal cities, various small island nations also face imminent dangers from rising seas and as a result have been among the most vocal in pushing for more-aggressive climate action.</p>
<p>Because sea level-rise greatly amplifies storm surge events, “flood levels are all of a sudden returning in many cases once a year by mid-century, and it just gets worse from there,” said Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton climate scientist who led the report’s chapter on sea-level rise. “We’re talking about storms that, when they come, result in loss of life, loss of property, shut down cities."</p>
<p>Granted, the severity of a 100-year flood event varies greatly and will not always be disastrous in any one place, Oppenheimer said. Still, the finding underscores just how big a difference a steady rise in sea level can make — and how soon we are going to start to realize this.</p>
<p>Wednesday’s report also finds that while it may be possible to adapt to rising seas if global emissions are somehow kept low throughout the century, the system could still tip toward very large ice losses from Greenland and Antarctica. If that happens, the rate of sea-level rise could become truly catastrophic, especially by the years 2200 and 2300, when it could exceed 10 feet.</p>
<p>Ice loss is accelerating in Greenland and Antarctica, scientists found. Permafrost, which contains enormous amounts of carbon that can be released as it thaws, has warmed to “record high levels.” Summer Arctic sea ice extent is now probably lower than at any time in “at least 1,000 years,” and the oldest, thickest ice has already declined by 90 percent.</p>
<p>And then there is the entire world ocean. “Over the 21st century, the ocean is projected to transition to unprecedented conditions,” the report states.</p>
<p>The ocean is losing oxygen, growing more acidic, taking up an increasing amount of heat, and becoming more stratified, with warm water at the surface preventing cooler, nutrient rich waters from rising. All of these changes have profound consequences for marine ecosystems.</p>
<p>One of the most shocking findings involves “marine heat waves,” which have been blamed for mass deaths of corals, kelp forests and other key ocean organisms. The large majority of these events are already directly attributable to climate change, and by the year 2100, they will become 20 times more common in the best case, and 50 times as common in the absolute worst case, compared with the late 1800s, the report found.</p>
<p>Many of these changes to oceans and ice are unfolding in parts of the Earth where few people live, and so the shifts are not always readily visible to most humans. But the changes taking place there ultimately will affect people around the globe, in the form of rising seas and other impacts. And as those impacts worsen, so does the difficulty of adapting to them.</p>
<p>“People at the poles are experiencing climate change frequently, much more than the rest of us,” said Ted Schuur, one of the drafting authors of the report and a permafrost expert at Northern Arizona University. “But I think that’s in our future. Everybody living outside of these polar regions is going to start having these same effects.”</p>
<p>Lynn Scarlett, the vice president for policy and government relations at the <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_Conservancy">Nature Conservancy</a> and a top-ranking Interior Department official during the George W. Bush administration, said the grim findings in Wednesday’s report should be a call to action.</p>
<p>"We must not let these climate change impacts paralyze us,” she said in an email. “We must address root causes of climate change by slowing and eventually stopping accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions.”</p>
<p>There is much that humans can do to blunt the expected impacts in the meantime, she said, such as restoring mangroves and protecting reefs and marshes to reduce storm impacts on coastal communities.</p>
<p>“Alone, these measures cannot meet all the challenges of climate change to oceans and coasts, but they are doable, cost-effective and make a difference,” Scarlett said</p>
<p> </p> Bryan, the "some" are the 3%.…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-24:2117179:Comment:38564102019-09-24T21:26:48.884ZSkip Peel - Mineral Consultanthttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/ilandman
<p>Bryan, the "some" are the 3%. Or what's left of them. Here is the bottom line for a historic view. Our modern American economy and society were built on cheap energy. There was a very rational reason for governments, federal and state, to incentivize the oil and gas business in the Twentieth Century. The industry has taken that opening and run with it producing the longest and most lucrative list of tax breaks, exemptions and incentives while fighting most efforts to clean up their…</p>
<p>Bryan, the "some" are the 3%. Or what's left of them. Here is the bottom line for a historic view. Our modern American economy and society were built on cheap energy. There was a very rational reason for governments, federal and state, to incentivize the oil and gas business in the Twentieth Century. The industry has taken that opening and run with it producing the longest and most lucrative list of tax breaks, exemptions and incentives while fighting most efforts to clean up their operations and the environment. Here in Louisiana three or four generations were able to make careers, support a family and give their children advantages in life that many did not have in their day. Those jobs are about half now and shrinking every year as there is less easy (economic) oil to produce and field operations become more automated. Those without a college degree can still drive a truck but all the other jobs are fading fast.</p>
<p>Now the reality is that the decision to incentivize oil and gas has turned out to be a problem that was unforeseeable for 70 or 80 years depending on when a majority of Americans might have heeded the early warnings of climate change. For the last 30 years the evidence has been building and the scientific community has been ratcheting up the warnings. Now that the effects of the climate crisis are becoming more apparent and disturbing, a clear majority of Americans believe the science and support policies to address emissions. The longer nothing is done, or we go backyard as we have for the last three years, the more disruptive the actions needed to address the more devastating affects of the climate crisis will be. If those who understand the science and respect the coming generations who will live with the worst of the damage do not speak up, we will forever regret it.</p> Common sense seems to be a ra…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-24:2117179:Comment:38566162019-09-24T20:38:15.785Zbryanhttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/bryan
<p>Common sense seems to be a rare commodity these days. However, there is a growing number of qualified scientist who question the so called settled science of climate change. Some say the sun is entering a cooler period and that will have more effect on temperature than CO2 or other man made phenomenon. I am hoping for a cold winter, myself. With 2020 coming, our future depends upon it, IMHO. Thanks for your comments. Let's all enjoy the sunshine and clean fresh air this fall... and be…</p>
<p>Common sense seems to be a rare commodity these days. However, there is a growing number of qualified scientist who question the so called settled science of climate change. Some say the sun is entering a cooler period and that will have more effect on temperature than CO2 or other man made phenomenon. I am hoping for a cold winter, myself. With 2020 coming, our future depends upon it, IMHO. Thanks for your comments. Let's all enjoy the sunshine and clean fresh air this fall... and be courteous and respectful toward those with opinions we do not agree with. </p>
<p>For a good read: The Rational Optimist, by Matt Ridly. The noble savage was not so noble. We've come so far and have so much to be thankful for. The fossil fuel industry has really created our modern society. With more common sense, and a sense of appreciation and knowledge of history, or young people would have more gratitude and respect towards the oil and gas industry. Just look around.</p> Originally it was labeled glo…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-21:2117179:Comment:38560692019-09-21T02:44:59.674ZTigger80https://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/Tigger80
<p>Originally it was labeled global warming and now it is labeled climate change. It’s amazing to me a bartender from New York City is the champion of the green new deal. It is also amazing to me that most of the people touting this propaganda live in major us cities and for the most part seem to have zero grasp of Mother Nature in general much less the major weather cycles that occur in a planet over time. I am a country boy that lives outside. It gets cold in the winter and gets hot in the…</p>
<p>Originally it was labeled global warming and now it is labeled climate change. It’s amazing to me a bartender from New York City is the champion of the green new deal. It is also amazing to me that most of the people touting this propaganda live in major us cities and for the most part seem to have zero grasp of Mother Nature in general much less the major weather cycles that occur in a planet over time. I am a country boy that lives outside. It gets cold in the winter and gets hot in the summer. I have also traveled quite a bit all over the world and most countries are not concerned about the environment and drinkable water is hard to come by. I believe God created this earth that I am in absolute awe of how the earth rotates perfectly each day and over time tilts a certain way and is an exact distance from a sun that gives just enough warmth to sustain life. Only mere imperfect humans with God complexes can be so naive to think they can control something so big and incomprehensible . Most of the folks touting these scare tactics don’t believe in God and continue to state how awful things are when everyday I wake up and thank God for 1. The blessing of one more day 2. That I was born in the USA 3. God is in control and even if it is too hot or too cold. Lastly, just using common sense from an archeological standpoint civilizations are found under the surface of the earth all the time. My question would be what happened. </p> Thanks for the invitation, Dr…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-20:2117179:Comment:38559632019-09-20T19:25:00.599ZSkip Peel - Mineral Consultanthttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/ilandman
<p>Thanks for the invitation, Dr. X, but I'll pass. I prefer to live and work in the real world. The public debate is over and deniers have lost. You may however continue live in your partisan echo chamber and post whatever conspiracies and climate denials not backed by science that you may prefer. The rest of us are moving on to a debate about what the response to the climate crisis should be.</p>
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<p>Thanks for the invitation, Dr. X, but I'll pass. I prefer to live and work in the real world. The public debate is over and deniers have lost. You may however continue live in your partisan echo chamber and post whatever conspiracies and climate denials not backed by science that you may prefer. The rest of us are moving on to a debate about what the response to the climate crisis should be.</p>
<p></p> Think whatever you like, Mr.…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-20:2117179:Comment:38557412019-09-20T18:30:28.026ZDr. Xhttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/LafayetteLandman
<p>Think whatever you like, Mr. Henny Penny. <a class="result__url js-result-extras-url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vQkd2vUiIA" rel="noopener"><span class="result__url__domain">https://www.youtube.com</span><span class="result__url__full">/watch?v=0vQkd2vUiIA</span></a></p>
<p>The climate changes every day. The weathermen and women and all other climate prognosticators can't predict with certainty what the weather will be tomorrow, next week, next year and most certainly not decades…</p>
<p>Think whatever you like, Mr. Henny Penny. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vQkd2vUiIA" rel="noopener" class="result__url js-result-extras-url"><span class="result__url__domain">https://www.youtube.com</span><span class="result__url__full">/watch?v=0vQkd2vUiIA</span></a></p>
<p>The climate changes every day. The weathermen and women and all other climate prognosticators can't predict with certainty what the weather will be tomorrow, next week, next year and most certainly not decades in the future.</p>
<p>Come...step into my world of conspiracy! Bwahaaahaaa</p>
<p><a href="https://www.prageru.com/video/what-they-havent-told-you-about-climate-change/" target="_blank">https://www.prageru.com/video/what-they-havent-told-you-about-climate-change/</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.prageru.com/video/climate-change-what-do-scientists-say/" target="_blank">https://www.prageru.com/video/climate-change-what-do-scientists-say/</a></p>
<p></p> Interesting. Your link to th…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-20:2117179:Comment:38556512019-09-20T17:51:41.992ZSkip Peel - Mineral Consultanthttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/ilandman
<p>Interesting. Your link to the mediabiasfactcheck goes to the American Thinker. The questionable source definition certainly fits that conspiracy news site.</p>
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<p>Interesting. Your link to the mediabiasfactcheck goes to the American Thinker. The questionable source definition certainly fits that conspiracy news site.</p>
<p></p> QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
A questi…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-20:2117179:Comment:38558772019-09-20T17:37:02.691ZDr. Xhttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/LafayetteLandman
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<div class="description" id="desc_2117179Comment3855543"><div class="xg_user_generated"><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">QUESTIONABLE SOURCE</span></p>
<div class="entry-content"><p>A questionable source exhibits <em>one or more</em> of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency and/or is fake news. Fake News is the <em>deliberate attempt</em> to publish hoaxes and/or…</p>
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<div class="description" id="desc_2117179Comment3855543"><div class="xg_user_generated"><p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">QUESTIONABLE SOURCE</span></p>
<div class="entry-content"><p>A questionable source exhibits <em>one or more</em> of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency and/or is fake news. Fake News is the <em>deliberate attempt</em> to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for the purpose of profit or influence (<a rel="nofollow" href="https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/2017/05/31/being-more-media-savvy-wont-stop-the-spread-of-fake-news-heres-why/" target="_self">Learn More</a>). Sources listed in the Questionable Category <em>may</em> be very untrustworthy and should be fact checked on a per article basis. Please note sources on this list <em>are not</em> considered <em>fake news </em>unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. </p>
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<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/american-thinker/" target="_self">https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/theatlantic</a></p>
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<p></p> This could very well be parts…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-20:2117179:Comment:38557242019-09-20T03:05:07.105ZSkip Peel - Mineral Consultanthttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/ilandman
<p>This could very well be parts of south Louisiana. The climate crisis is happening now.</p>
<h1>The Impact of Climate Change on Kivalina, Alaska</h1>
<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/author/alan-taylor/">Alan Taylor</a> Sep 18, 2019 theatlantic.com</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/09/photos-impacts-climate-change-kivalina-alaska/598282/" target="_blank">https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/09/photos-impacts-climate-change-kivalina-alaska/598282/</a></p>
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<p>This could very well be parts of south Louisiana. The climate crisis is happening now.</p>
<h1>The Impact of Climate Change on Kivalina, Alaska</h1>
<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/author/alan-taylor/">Alan Taylor</a> Sep 18, 2019 theatlantic.com</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/09/photos-impacts-climate-change-kivalina-alaska/598282/" target="_blank">https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/09/photos-impacts-climate-change-kivalina-alaska/598282/</a></p>
<p></p> New projections show sea leve…tag:gohaynesvilleshale.com,2019-09-19:2117179:Comment:38555502019-09-19T23:43:45.494ZSkip Peel - Mineral Consultanthttps://gohaynesvilleshale.com/profile/ilandman
<p><strong>New projections show sea level rise accelerating in Tampa Bay</strong></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Additional 2 to 8.5 feet by 2100</span> </p>
<p>Posted: 11:07 AM, Sep 18, 2019 By: <a href="https://www.abcactionnews.com/paullagrone">Paul LaGrone</a> abcactionnews.com</p>
<p><strong>Prelude to a Change</strong></p>
<p>Sea Level Rise, climate change, global warming: These are the phrases, the words, the talking points you see and hear in the headlines and the…</p>
<p><strong>New projections show sea level rise accelerating in Tampa Bay</strong></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Additional 2 to 8.5 feet by 2100</span> </p>
<p>Posted: 11:07 AM, Sep 18, 2019 By: <a href="https://www.abcactionnews.com/paullagrone">Paul LaGrone</a> abcactionnews.com</p>
<p><strong>Prelude to a Change</strong></p>
<p>Sea Level Rise, climate change, global warming: These are the phrases, the words, the talking points you see and hear in the headlines and the news.</p>
<p>They have become politicized terms that either grab your attention, or turn you off, or they just linger in the background like music at a party you’ve been to before.</p>
<p>But a subtle, yet profound change is starting to unfold. The argument over climate change is moving away from whether it’s actually happening and pivoting toward a more complicated negotiation of what should and can reasonably be done about it.</p>
<p>That is the new fault line in this debate: ideal vs. practical. And however that contest of perception plays out, the results will set into motion profound consequences that will impact your daily life, from your cost of living to your family's health.</p>
<p><strong>Evidence of a Problem</strong></p>
<p>Michael, Irma, Mathew.</p>
<p>Three major hurricanes in three years hit Florida, killing nearly 130 people and costing the state hundreds of billions of dollars.</p>
<p>But it's not just episodic disasters like hurricanes that are threatening the way of life in Tampa Bay. It's also the creeping, unpredictable, and long term effects of sea level rise.</p>
<p>Kim Caswell lives on St. Pete Beach. She says when the King Tide rolls in several times a year, the streets turn into canals.</p>
<p>“It was not flooding nearly to the extent and with the frequency that it does now,” she says.</p>
<p>In May, local climate scientists presented their new projections for sea level rise in Tampa Bay.</p>
<p>They found the Tampa Bay region can expect to see an additional 2 to 8.5 feet of sea level rise by the end of the century. That's at least a foot higher than their estimate just four years ago in 2015.</p>
<p>The report says the higher water levels will cause chronic flooding, shoreline erosion, threats to drinking water and loss of ecosystems.</p>
<p>“Tampa Bay acts like a funnel, so when you have sea level rise and storm surge on top of it, that puts people in jeopardy,” says Susan Glickman, who works with the Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Coalition.</p>
<p>The group brings together local leaders to plan for climate change, everything from hardening infrastructure and investing in flood control, to how to evacuate in a time of more frequent, stronger hurricanes.</p>
<p>“We are seeing sea level rise, we are seeing more intense hurricanes, and we are seeing droughts and wildfires, so the debate over whether or not it's happening has really gone to the sidelines,” says Glickman.</p>
<p>Dr. Robert Weisberg is an Oceanographer with the University of South Florida.</p>
<p>“I don't buy into these dire predictions that we are all going to be drowning more sooner than later,” he says.</p>
<p>He says people tend to focus too much on the worst case scenario, often overlooking the lower range of projected sea level rise. “The climate is always changing, it always has changed, it always will change,” he says. “I am of the opinion that unless there are catastrophic changes we will continue to see a slow rise in sea level.”</p>
<p>Dr. Weisberg says the more immediate threat to Tampa Bay is increased, unchecked development along the shoreline, where the storm surge is only getting stronger.</p>
<p>“As human beings, we have to be smart about what we are doing and i don't think we are,” says Dr. Weisberg.</p>
<p>Professor Weisberg's point is easily summed up in a basic question: Why do we continue to build right near the water on the coastline?</p>
<p>“Private property rights,” says Jennifer Doerfel. She is the Executive Vice President of the Tampa Bay Builders Association.</p>
<p>“People want to do what they feel is desirable in their property,” says Doerfel.</p>
<p>Should developers have a responsibility when it comes to mitigating climate change?</p>
<p>“Yes and no,” she says. “Flooding is no different than any act of nature, you're not going to stop building in the Midwest because of tornadoes,” says Doerfel.</p>
<p>But climate experts say it's not be where you build, but how.</p>
<p>They point to the Netherlands as the model for how to “engineer your way” around sea level rise.</p>
<p>One third of the country lies below sea level, yet it almost never floods, because the Dutch have invested billions in flood control. This could be Florida's future. Or it could be Houston after Hurricane Harvey.</p>
<p>Researchers found the city's sprawling urban landscape directly contributed to the deadly flooding.</p>
<p>“They (were) filling swamp and putting houses there. If we are going to do that, then let’s not blame it on climate change,” says Dr. Weisberg.</p>
<p>If the science doesn't convince you Tampa Bay is sitting on a problem, perhaps the economics will.</p>
<p>The same climate report given to Tampa Bay leaders, says the Bay Area, with its 700 miles of shoreline and 3 million residents, stands to lose $15 billions in real estate value and 17,000 jobs, as a direct result of sea level rise.</p>
<p>And recent headlines reflect the growing economic concern for all of Florida. Prominent climate analyst Spencer Glendon made news when he said it's "insane to own" property in Florida, predicting that rising insurance premiums could lead to an economic crash in the Sunshine State.</p>
<p>Oldsmar homeowners Joseph Rocks is already feeling it.</p>
<p>“When I hear more insurance rates going up it makes me wonder, what are we going to do?,” asks Rocks.</p>
<p>He's one of thousands of Tampa Bay residents who were added to FEMA's newly proposed flood maps</p>
<p>“That makes me worried because if it keeps going up here we will have to sell,” says Rocks.</p>
<p>So where do Florida lawmakers stand on this?</p>
<p>In what amounts to a first for the sunshine state, Governor Ron Desantis is now seeking resumes for a newly funded job position to help Florida prepare for climate change.</p>
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