Global Warming Education in Coastal Communities Gets Funding

Officials from NOAA announce that they have just launched a one-time initiative to educate coastal communities in the United States about the risks they are subjected to as global warming develops.

The phenomenon can trigger temperature patterns shift, and create abnormal precipitations. In addition, excessive heat can melt glaciers and ice sheets, raise sea levels, and increasing flood risks.

Naturally, communities living on the shoreline are the most exposed to the negative effects of global sea level rise, hence the need for educating people on the risks involved.

This is done under the National Sea Grant College Program, which is funded by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Both coastal and Great Lakes states are targeted by the new initiative, scientists say. The federal agency is contributing about $990,000 to this endeavor, whereas its partners are putting in $247,000.

“Climate scientists, including many supported by Sea Grant, are finding increasing evidence of environmental changes induced by global climate change,” explains Leon Cammen.

“These changes threaten the economic and social well-being of coastal communities. Our aim is to enable communities to make well-informed decisions and adaptation plans,” he adds.

Cammen is the director of the National Sea Grant College Program. He says that about 200 coastal communities will be involved in this initiative.

One of the main goals the Program has is to allow communities to adopt and implement sustainable economic and environmental development practices and policies, relating to climate change adaptation.

“The scope of these projects covers communities ranging from small Pacific island fishing villages to major metropolitan areas such as Chicago and Los Angeles,” adds Joshua Brown.

“No one has really worked on climate adaptation in the United States on this fine a scale with this breadth of coverage,” he argues.

“This represents a tangible commitment to provide climate adaptation resources on a local level,” concludes the expert, who is also the manager of the initiative for the National Sea Grant College Program.