A recent climate resilience study on New York City has come up with a few facts that have forced the administration to put on their thinking caps. The study reveals the effects of sea level rise due to climate change and predicts risk to nearly 37 percent of Lower Manhattan properties within the next three decades. This could go up to almost 50 percent by 2100. The extent of the rise could be in the range of six feet by the end of the century and could have grave consequences.

Daily Mail UK reports New York City's Mayor, Bill de Blasio has realized the gravity of the situation and drawn up a tentative plan to protect Lower Manhattan from this impending danger.

His plan is to extend the shoreline by as much as 500 feet and its cost will be in the region of $500 million. The plan also envisages adding more land to the lowest-lying areas. This activity will take several years, and the cost would be in billions.

Lessons from Hurricane Sandy

A hurricane devastated the waterfront of New York City in 2012. Mayor de Blasio explains, “Hurricane Sandy showed us how vulnerable areas like Lower Manhattan are to climate change.” He went on to add that the action plan drawn up would protect the vulnerable area into the next century and the federal government must extend necessary support.

He also mentioned the need to reduce emissions in order to tackle the effects of Global warming.

Lower Manhattan witnessed the destruction unleashed by Hurricane Sandy and ever since then, officials were trying to evolve suitable schemes to fortify the region.

Daily Mail UK says that apart from visible damages above the ground, it will lead to a corresponding rise in the groundwater table. This, in turn, might destabilize some buildings, and damage underground network utilities. It seems the mayor accepts the fact that sea level rise due to global warming is a threat to coastal areas.

Manhattan wants protection from climate change

According to Nature, Manhattan is not only a transportation hub for New York City but is also a global financial center. It faced the fury of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to protect it from climate change. His idea is to expand the island’s southern shore that could help to keep rising seas at bay. The project will have to comply with existing environmental regulations for the protection of freshwater resources and ecosystems.

Nature writes that in the opinion of Michael Oppenheimer, a climate scientist, “the plan has potential if it’s designed as a true buffer zone rather than as a real-estate opportunity. The buffer zone could be constructed as a kind of green space with parks.”
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