Sustainability in your ears The last time we visited was in February 2023. John is the author of two important books on sea level rise. High Tide on Main Street: Rising Sea Levels and the Coming Coastal Crisisexplores the science behind sea level rise and its far-reaching impact on society. Moving to higher altitudes: sea level rise and the way forward, This is a comprehensive look at how individuals, businesses and governments can adapt to this inevitable reality. He recently spoke at the U.S. Naval Academy and shared the responses he’s heard from admirals and strategists tasked with protecting America’s interests at sea. John highlighted the vulnerability of Antarctic ice sheets, particularly Thwaites Glacier, also known as the ‘terminal glacier’, and issued a stark warning about accelerating sea level rise. He warned that the collapse of the Thwaites River alone could lead to significant sea level rise in the coming decades, with significant implications for global military operations, coastal infrastructure and international security.
Because oceans absorb most of the heat trapped in Earth’s atmosphere, sea level rise is a permanent change that humans will endure for centuries, perhaps millennia. Average sea surface temperatures rose by about 0.8 degrees Celsius, or 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The Arctic has been warming four times faster by about 3 degrees Celsius since 1980, causing sea levels to rise between 21 and 24 centimeters, or about 9 inches, over the same period. John also Disruption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)promoting the circulation of seawater around the world. Unless we reduce emissions enough to halt the melting of glaciers, sea levels will only rise further and our ports, infrastructure and entire economies will grapple with the threat of disruption. To learn more about the organization he co-founded, Rising Seas Institute, please visit: https://risingseasinstitute.org/It became a program. Nova Southeastern University November 1, 2024.
