On Shishmaref Island in Alaska, homes are being washed into the sea. In
the South Pacific, small island nations face annihilation by encroaching
waters. In coastal Louisiana, an area the size of a football field
disappears every day. For these communities, sea level rise isn't a
distant, abstract fear: it's happening now and it's threatening their
way of life.
In The Rising Sea, Orrin H. Pilkey and Rob Young warn that many other
coastal areas may be close behind. Prominent scientists predict that the
oceans may rise by as much as seven feet in the next hundred years. That
means coastal cities will be forced to construct dikes and seawalls, or
to move buildings, roads, pipelines, and railroads to avert inundation
and destruction.
The question is no longer whether climate change is causing the oceans
to swell, but by how much and how quickly. Pilkey and Young deftly guide
listeners through the science, explaining the facts and debunking the
claims of industry-sponsored "skeptics." They also explore the
consequences for fish, wildlife, and people.
While rising seas are now inevitable, we are far from helpless. By
making hard choices--including uprooting citizens, changing where and
how we build, and developing a coordinated national response--we can
save property, and ultimately lives. With unassailable research and
practical insights, The Rising Sea is a critical first step in
understanding the threat and keeping our heads above water.
