I’m running off to my environmental economics class, so can’t spend time on this. But if we are nominating pieces of journalism in economics for the “top 10” worst articles of the year, this would surely be a candidate. A little sliver:
Because lists of “repetitive loss” properties are maintained by cities and counties, rather than federal authorities, Wetlands Watch had a hard time getting comprehensive data. But where numbers were available — in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton and Portsmouth – Wetlands Watch found nearly 3,000 properties awaiting funding. Local flood managers told the group it costs between $75,000 and $250,000 either to raise a home and protect it from the tides, or to acquire it so the homeowner can move out. Which means that in just five Virginia jurisdictions, the study says, it would cost more than $430 million to protect the homes that have already been damaged.
And that’s just “repetitive loss” properties, a specific category of homes insured by the National Flood Insurance Program that have sustained at least $1,000 in damage twice in a 10-year period. Many more homes are not covered by flood insurance. And many additional homes are likely to sustain damage in the future, if the seas rise, as predicted, by a meter or more on the East Coast over the next century.
One’s mind can only wonder at how surprising it must be for people who own homes on storm ravaged coasts that there is a possibility their home might be flooded or swept out to sea. One’s mind can only wonder why private insurance does or does not exist here and what the premiums are here. One’s mind can only wonder why, after centuries of sea level rise, that people who choose to live near the coast somehow forgot that they should worry about it, and that now, only now, after the 5th IPCC report, we are awakened to the possibility that the water levels where we live might continue to rise. One can only wonder why, as the worst case of the article states, dealing with over a trillion dollars of flood protection over a 100 year period is some sort of incredible challenge. And one’s mind can only wonder at the feebleness of thought (or rather, the bully instinct) that articulates that it is some sort of shared responsibility for me, living in Rochester, to support people with beachfront cottages.
On Sunday Chris Wallace asked Senator Sheldon Whitehouse about the Keystone Pipeline and Sen. Whitehouse (D, RI) answered that weird weather [caused by a failure to reach 1992 IPCC recommended levels of atmospheric CO2] was causing Rhode Island homes to collapse into the sea, so we had better not build the pipeline.
141526 299074Exceptional post however , I was wanting to know in case you could write a litte far more on this subject? Id be very thankful if you could elaborate just a little bit more. Thanks! 299228
503664 632767Some actually valuable data in there. Why not hold some sort of contest for your readers? 735201
389907 923530Hey. Very nice web website!! Man .. Superb .. Great .. Ill bookmark this internet site and take the feeds alsoI am happy to locate so significantly valuable information here within the article. Thanks for sharing 491130
945524 465545This is fantastic content. Youve loaded this with valuable, informative content that any reader can realize. I enjoy reading articles that are so very well-written. 817879
24961 250610hello, your internet site is genuinely very good. We do appreciate your give excellent results 169859
513029 374308I was trying to find this. Genuinely refreshing take on the details. Thanks a great deal. 586434
266259 919064This design is steller! You naturally know how to maintain a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own weblog (effectively, almostHaHa!) Fantastic job. I genuinely enjoyed what you had to say, and far more than that, how you presented it. Too cool! 113020
73554 290634Fantastic weblog here! Also your web site loads up rapidly! What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my internet site loaded up as fast as yours lol 722628
216113 90179I think your suggestion would be beneficial for me. I will let you know if its work for me too. Thank you for sharing this beautiful articles. thanks a lot 365174