The State That ‘Outlawed Climate Change’ Accepts Latest Sea-Level Rise Report
Five years ago, the Science Panel of the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commissioner presented a report outlining that sea levels along the coast could rise as much as 39 inches over the next 100 years. The General Assembly passed a law forbidding communities from using this report to pass new rules. Now, almost three years later, the scientists have come back with a new report, but it is hardly complete and universal.
Nigeria: Drenched in Shell Oil
The clean-up will not solve the underlying problems of Nigeria’s opaque oil industry.
Engineers Warn East Coast Storms Point to Future Flooding, Erosion risks, Push for Town Planning Changes
Recent catastrophic flood events in New South Wales should sound warnings for communities across the country, water engineers say.
Duck Beach is Sinking Fast and Deep, NC
The beach at Duck is sinking faster than the ocean is rising. The phenomenon, called vertical land movement, is a lesser-known part of the debate over sea-level rise…
Fjords Soak Up a Surprising Amount of Carbon
Fjords are known for their otherworldly beauty. But these high-latitude inlets also have an outsized role in the carbon cycle, a study finds.
How Did Rocks End Up on the Beach? NC
State rules make it clear that sand from an ocean bottom riddled with rocks should not be pumped onto the state’s beaches during beach re-nourishment projects. Yet, a beach pumping project on the south end of this Onslow County town littered the beach with tons of rocks, some the size of basketballs. And no one stopped it.
1000 Dams Down and Counting: Dam Removal Study Reveals River Resiliency
More than 1,000 dams have been removed across the United States because of safety concerns, sediment buildup, inefficiency or having otherwise outlived usefulness. A paper published in Science Magazine finds that rivers are resilient and respond relatively quickly after a dam is removed.
The Blue Amazon: Brazil’s New Natural Resources Frontier
Brazil’s Atlantic continental shelf holds 90 and 77 percent of the country’s proven oil and gas reserves. This Blue Amazon, rich in both biodiversity and energy resources, is similar in extension to the country’s rainforest – nearly half the size of the national territory. But the big challenge is to protect the wealth of the Blue Amazon along 8,500 km of shoreline.
A 50-year Sand Replenishment Project, Encinitas and Solana Beaches, CA
For the price of the plan, the cities could have looked at buying bluff-top properties to allow for “managed retreat.” That way, the bluffs could naturally erode, putting sand back on the beaches.