‘Should give us a break to think’

The beaches of Southern California are bucket list destinations for many people. But those dreaming of the clear waters and golden sands may want to expedite their plans to make the trip.

What is going on?

A study published in the journal Shore & Beach, summarized by Surfer, has mapped out the alarming future of California’s coastline.

The “Impacts of Sea Level Rise on Coastal Access” provides data on which areas will be affected by coastal water rises of different levels. A map even shows which beaches and coastal access points could soon be underwater.

As Surfer noted, the study suggests that for every foot of sea level rise, 100 coastal access points will be lost. With state researchers predicting that California will see a foot of sea level rise by 2100, this is certainly an alarming finding.

But it’s not just the beaches that are in danger. The ocean rising several feet high will also endanger the low-lying airports of San Francisco and Oakland, as well as the homes of about 200,000 people.

“These results highlight that not only are California’s beaches highly sensitive to rising sea levels, but our ability to visit and enjoy beaches is also at risk,” co-author Dan R. Reineman told Surfer. “The loss of 100 beach accesses with every meter of sea level rise should make us rethink how we manage our coastline now and in the future – how and for whom.”

Why is this research worrying?

We have long known about the looming risk of sea level rise, caused by a warming climate that is melting the polar ice caps at an alarming rate and the expansion of water at higher temperatures.

However, this study provides an alarming insight into the damage that could be done and how homes and businesses could be affected within just a few decades.

This could lead to climate change, ocean pollution, coastal erosion, drinking water pollution and habitat destruction.

What is being done about rising sea levels?

Cities like Venice in Italy, which has struggled with flood risks for centuries, have been working on flood defenses such as locks placed on the seabed. Meanwhile, architects in the Netherlands have been working on floating homes that could move with the rising water.

While these are useful ways to avert the risk of rising water levels, they are not complete solutions. For a state like California, more robust innovations are required.

However, this will be extremely expensive. For example, ports in California heard a report in 2023 that sea-level defenses for San Francisco Bay could cost more than $110 billion, according to the American Journal of Transportation.

More worryingly, Surfer warns that sea level rise is inevitable. “Even completely eliminating CO2 emissions would not prevent sea level rise in the coming decades,” the publication’s article said.

But the study in the journal Shore & Beach offers coastal communities an opportunity to prepare for these looming problems. Adaptation, but also not ignoring the positive consequences that reducing pollution caused by global warming can bring, is essential for the future.

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