[opelayday]

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/...ad-in-the-sand

Another story about money and how it does interesting things to science. I want to see how long it takes for the first action against the developers who ignore the climate change information and build too close to the sea.

"Business interests along the state's coastline pushed lawmakers to include language in a law that would require future sea level estimates to be based only on data from past years. New evidence, especially on sea level rise that could be tied to global warming, would not be factored into the state's development plans for the coast.

"We're skeptical of the rising sea level science," says Tom Thompson, chairman of NC-20, an economic development group representing the state's 20 coastal counties. "Our concern is that the economy could be tremendously impacted by a hypothetical number with nothing but computers and speculation."

That 'hypothetical number' came from the state’s Coastal Resources Commission, which recommended planning around a 39-inch rise in sea level by 2100. At the behest of NC-20 and coastal governments, the commission decided to remove the number from its policy entirely.

"Originally we did have the 39-inch recommendation, but the commission chose to remove that," says Michele Walker, spokeswoman for the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission. "We got a lot of pushback from coastal governments and groups who were concerned that would hurt their ability to develop in their communities."

[eocavrWM]

They're going to look daft when the Outer Banks disappear under water.

[Ivanaishere]

interestedly- my- my hometown has no evidence of sealevel rises (it was usual for high tides to both backflood the main street and drown smith st- yet both havent happened in the last 10 years)-the council has even stopped maintenance on the drains one way flappers- now this I admit ismt worldwide- but it certainly real- so making me worry about the rest

gw science hasnt the `best' reputation- there have been many worrying signs from many people- it makes me stop and go hmmm...

[opelayday]

They're going to look daft when the Outer Banks disappear under water.

:-)

[warrgazur]

hmmm...interesting.

[Ivanaishere]

:-(

[OGOGOogoloshennya]

Assumption based on one persons recollections in one area is certainly not a great way to judge a complex theory based on actual measurements over longer periods and across a vast geography.

Sea level rise can never be equal. Lands rise and sink. Shapes of coastline vary enormously. Nothing is static. However when science looks at all the evidence and says that seas may rise by X amount, it is not based on the particular records of one tiny bit of coastline in the USA or Australia. Nor for that matter Kiribati that is sinking. The folk in North Carolina my be correct but that doesn't say anything about AGW. However, given the opinion of a collection of scientists over a consortium of developers, I would be more that cautious about buying a seaside villa in North Carolina.