Boston began to feel the toll of sea level rise during last week’s winter storm. The waters came up all over city – in the Seaport, Atlantic Avenue, the South Shore, Neponset, and the North End.
The pictures are pretty astounding.
We’re starting to see these “once in a generation” events several times a year now. Hurricane Harvey in Texas, the devastation in Puerto Rico, endless wildfires across the west.
In recent interviews with Mayor Walsh and EEOS Chief Blackmon, both officials discussed the storm floods last week, and emphasized the importance of building infrastructure to be able to withstand increased sea levels during winter events. But neither mention Boston’s role in cutting emissions to help prevent sea level in the first place.
The City will clearly need to prepare for the new reality of higher sea levels – that reality is already here now. But it will get much worse – too much to handle with bigger sea walls – if we do not act to curb our emissions.
Mayor Walsh and Chief Blackmon must implement Community Choice Energy, as the quickest way to cut greenhouse gases and help stop sea levels from rising past the point of no return.
Joel Wool of Clean Water Action says:
Remember to call, email, vote, tweet, stand up, protest, obstruct, whatever else you can, to keep up the political urgency to fight climate change, to adapt to it. It’s going to take continued action and massive investment. Without your active involvement, the investment that happens is going to protect the 1%. Seriously – be the squeaky wheel. Tell other people to speak up, too.