Our past spring was wet and cool. Sunshine was scarce. Counting the number of consecutive rain days became a constant part of daily conversation.
Meanwhile, sea level rise continues on the Eastern Shore. We in Talbot County like to point to Dorchester County as the most vulnerable to erosion and flooding. We think we might escape the serious effects of climate change. We won’t.
Denial is not an option. Yet, many scoff at the science. Many” view oft-stated predictions as political. Some dismiss it as hooey. Some believe that the more fossil fuel we can produce, the better. I’m not surprised, just sorely disappointed.
In a recent presentation by Dr. Larry Sanford, a professor at Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge, part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the following points were:
“Sea level rise has fallen and risen 4 times in the past 400,000 years as global temperatures cooled and warmed.”
“Local human populations have been directed impacted by the most recent sea level rise.”
“Sea level rise has been significantly higher in the past, and it is headed there again.”
“Natural rates of change have been slow during the past 10,000 years. But human-induced change has accelerated in the past 200 years. We are now in a new epoch, the Anthropocene.”
“Sea level rise estimates keep increasing. It is now seen as quite possible that global sea level rise by almost 2 meters by 2100.” (My math indicates 6 feet, 6.64 inches).
“Relative sea level in the Mid-Atlantic is rising up to twice as fast as global sea level. There are many online resources to explore the potential consequences, which are dire on the Eastern Shore.”
“This is the most pressing environmental, economic, and moral issue of the 21st century. It is time to overcome our natural avoidance behavior and do something about it.”
If words were important to conserve, I would stop here. The last bullet point is powerfully instructive.
We are in crisis. Many scientists fear we will reach a tipping point, unable to stop or reverse global warming. Except it’s easy to ignore these warnings. When storm surges strike the Chesapeake Bay and the East Coast with greater frequency and ferocity, we must face the irrefutable facts.
We shouldn’t ignore reality. But we do.
Global warming is on our doorstep. Shoreline erosion, admittedly always concerning, is now more so. Rip-rap and living shorelines, while helpful, are short-term measures. Must our property values suffer a decline for us to pay attention?
We can see and feel terrorism on American soil. We can see and feel impoverished conditions in our communities; the homeless confront our daily lives. We can see and feel violence and frustration in our cities.
I suggest we follow the fact-and-research-driven science, open our eyes and minds to the detrimental effects of global change—and modify our behavior.
Denial forecloses opportunity to save our precious and valued Eastern Shore, as we know it.
Columnist Howard Freedlander retired in 2011 as Deputy State Treasurer of the State of Maryland. Previously, he was the executive officer of the Maryland National Guard. He also served as community editor for Chesapeake Publishing, lastly at the Queen Anne’s Record-Observer. In retirement, Howard serves on the boards of several non-profits on the Eastern Shore, Annapolis and Philadelphia.
William (David) Montgomery says
I agree with Howard Freedlander that climate change is a real risk that needs to be taken seriously. But a few facts in addition to estimates of sea level rise are needed to think about adequate responses. I have spent most of the past 25 years, and continue in my retirement, serving as a expert on economic issues associated with climate change. I have concluded that the two most important facts about climate change, after recognizing it is a real risk, are that 1. It will be many years before national policies or international agreements can even slow the pace of climate change, let alone bring it to a halt, and 2. Most of the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change come from our rapidly growing economic rivals, including China and India. These facts have very important implications. Most of the bad consequences that we can now identify are going to happen no matter what actions nations undertake. That much climate change is already built in. Moreover, there is little that we in the United States can do to moderate the further consequences, because our emissions are already falling and countries with no willingness to change their growth strategy are zooming past us. All this adds up to the conclusion that we must start to think hard about how to reduce the harm from climate change that we cannot avoid, and in particular how we can reduce the vulnerability of the global poor. That will do far more good than unrealistic belief that we can make the problems go away. David Montgomery, St Michaels.
David Lloyd says
Could not agree more with Mr. Freedlander’s points well made!! This is a problem that must be addressed by the countries all over the world. But, the USA has got to lead if anything is ever to be done.