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You've got to wonder why global warming is dragged into this. The city cannot possibly hope to do anything about that, even if it wanted to. Obviously the solu

by waps 12y ago

You've got to wonder why global warming is dragged into this. The city cannot possibly hope to do anything about that, even if it wanted to. Obviously the solution is dykes, and better water infrastructure. Ironically I'm betting the environmentalists will oppose that.

keithpeter 12y ago
The dykes needed would require massive civil engineering projects and expensive pumps as mentioned in OA (the bit about New Orleans). That needs coordination at a regional level and I gather from the OA that the required consensus does not exist. I think you have a point in the sense that building a consensus may require a tacit agreement not to mention global warming, but simply to look at the frequency of flooding in specific areas (which will show a rise) and the inland creep of the 'potable water contour'. I'm saying agree about the phenomena and agree to disagree about the cause.
lifeisstillgood 12y ago
I think what "environmentalists" are angry about is the logic of "climate change is not man made, therefore climate change is natural / gods will, therefore we won't do anything, including dykes and infrastructure or like movin people.
- waps 12y ago
  Euhm, I would say it's the opposite. Environmentalists will oppose dykes and infrastructure, because they will remodel the natural environment around the coastline and make it artificial and managed by human interference (which is of course, the very point of having them, so it's absolutely non-negotiable, beyond carving out a few reserves maybe).
  - lifeisstillgood 12y ago
    Ok - then I'm angry about dumb politicians taking no action because of dumb political opinions that are untested unverifiable or just plain dumb Did I mention dumb? :-)
kaitai 12y ago
"Global warming" is dragged into this because there are other parts of the US that will face similar situations in 20-50 years if "global warming" is true. (I like "climate instability" better as a phrase, as it's not warmer everywhere and "warming" leads to barriers to understanding among the literally-minded.) Look at New York and other coastal US cities. Look at the entire nation of Bangladesh. If we could face the possible realities and start figuring out what to do about Miami, including dykes and water infrastructure or the idea of simply abandoning the place, we might have a start on what to do about the rest.

by waps 12y ago

keithpeter 12y ago

The dykes needed would require massive civil engineering projects and expensive pumps as mentioned in OA (the bit about New Orleans). That needs coordination at a regional level and I gather from the OA that the required consensus does not exist. I think you have a point in the sense that building a consensus may require a tacit agreement not to mention global warming, but simply to look at the frequency of flooding in specific areas (which will show a rise) and the inland creep of the 'potable water contour'. I'm saying agree about the phenomena and agree to disagree about the cause.

lifeisstillgood 12y ago

I think what "environmentalists" are angry about is the logic of "climate change is not man made, therefore climate change is natural / gods will, therefore we won't do anything, including dykes and infrastructure or like movin people.

waps 12y ago
Euhm, I would say it's the opposite. Environmentalists will oppose dykes and infrastructure, because they will remodel the natural environment around the coastline and make it artificial and managed by human interference (which is of course, the very point of having them, so it's absolutely non-negotiable, beyond carving out a few reserves maybe).
- lifeisstillgood 12y ago
  Ok - then I'm angry about dumb politicians taking no action because of dumb political opinions that are untested unverifiable or just plain dumb Did I mention dumb? :-)

kaitai 12y ago

"Global warming" is dragged into this because there are other parts of the US that will face similar situations in 20-50 years if "global warming" is true. (I like "climate instability" better as a phrase, as it's not warmer everywhere and "warming" leads to barriers to understanding among the literally-minded.) Look at New York and other coastal US cities. Look at the entire nation of Bangladesh. If we could face the possible realities and start figuring out what to do about Miami, including dykes and water infrastructure or the idea of simply abandoning the place, we might have a start on what to do about the rest.