They lost their coastal Malibu homes to fire. But should they rebuild along a rising sea? – the Los Angeles Times
“I think we suffer from what I call a short disaster memory. We want to get in there and build and rebuild as fast as we can,” said Gary Griggs, a UC Santa Cruz oceanographer and coastal geologist who wrote “California Catastrophes: The Natural Disaster History of the Golden State.” But the impermanence of coastal construction ”is not something most people are interested in hearing about.”…
Bad News for the Oceans and the Earth – Gary Griggs | Op-Ed
Decisions made and actions taken over the past several weeks in Washington, D.C. by the new administration are going to have a profound, negative and lasting impact on the health of the oceans and the Earth as a whole…
The Loss of Coastal Legend . . .
We are sad to report that a true coastal legend passed away after a short illness on December 13, 2024. Dr. Orrin Pilkey was Professor Emeritus of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, and founder and Director Emeritus of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines. Orrin was special for many reasons and was a friend and colleague to many of us. We thought this amazing guy was so tough and resilient that he would simply never die…
California regulators approve huge Ocean Beach seawall – San Francisco Chronicle
On Thursday, California’s main coastal protection agency approved a $175 million climate-related project that will transform the southern portion of San Francisco’s Ocean Beach despite fierce opposition from some members of the public. A sticking point is a massive seawall that some surfers fear could make the beach disappear…
Elections and Oceans – Gary Griggs | Op-Ed
While I typically try to inform rather than advocate in my columns, in the United States, we are currently about two weeks from what may be the most consequential election of our lives, and the outcome of our collective voting will have major impacts on all of us and the oceans in the years ahead…
Beach Nourishment: A Critical Look – Gary Griggs | Journal of Coastal Research
More than $15 billion, mostly federal dollars, have been spent moving sand to the shoreline for both recreational and shoreline protection benefits. Still, whether in New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Florida, or California, the life span of the sand added artificially to these beaches in many cases has been relatively short and in some instances has been less than a year…
Denial and Deception – Gary Griggs
Earth’s temperature continues to climb to uncharted levels. Two weeks ago, NOAA announced that April was the 11th month in a row that set a new record for the highest monthly temperatures. While there are many enviable records, in sports for example, when it comes to global temperatures, this is not a record anyone wants to own. While 2023 was the hottest year on record since we began tracking temperatures nearly 150 years ago, there is a high probability based on the first four months of this year that 2024 will surpass 2023. Another statistic in which we cannot rejoice…
Why Highway 1 is the climate challenge that California can’t fix – the Washington Times
It is beloved by Big Sur road trippers and is vital for local businesses. But intense storms, slides and fires imperil this highway. What does the future hold?
A climate Q&A with coastal geologist Gary Griggs – Pacifica Tribune
A startling rise in sea-surface temperatures suggests that we may not understand how fast the climate is changing…