Coastal Communities and the Rising Sea: The Coming Collision

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Posted: August 23, 2013

One of the largest migrations in all of human history has been the migration to the coast. Most of this took place during a period of relatively stable sea level, but that is changing. Sea level is rising, and rising rapidly, and coastal storms superimposed upon this higher sea level are taking an increased toll on coastal communities—both human and natural. This is a collision that will continue for decades, perhaps centuries, and the challenge is to find ways to increase the resilience of coastal communities.

Moderator Jerry Schubel, Aquarium of the Pacific president and CEO, explores what’s in store for our coastal communities with Doug Marcy, coastal hazards specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal Services Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Marcy has spent more than eleven years working on storm surge assessments, sea level rise visualizations, and coastal hazards assessment projects contributing to more disaster resilient communities. Aquariums in the Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center network are working together to explore how these institutions can help make coastal communities more resilient to the coming collision of people and the sea.

Original air date: August 21, 2013

Video Posted: August 23, 2013 | Running time: 27:04

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