Latest news with #managedretreat
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts warn drastic action may be necessary in communities along US East Coast: 'We're dealing with something completely unprecedented'
Experts warn drastic action may be necessary in communities along US East Coast: 'We're dealing with something completely unprecedented' A climate adaptation scientist is warning that drastic changes may be necessary along the American East Coast. What's happening? According to EcoRI, Emma Gildesgame, a climate adaptation scientist for The Nature Conservancy, believes that it's time to start talking about managed retreat as a response to climate-induced coastal change. Managed retreat is when coastal buildings and towns pull back from their original locations, relocating further inland in an attempt to avoid being submerged by the rising oceans as our planet gets warmer. The practice is often seen as a last-ditch attempt to salvage areas that are most impacted by rising oceans as our coastlines shrink. However, per EcoRI, Gildesgame says the time is coming sooner than we think and that the goal right now is to "work with nature to keep people safer from climate change." Why is managed retreat important? For the United States, sea levels are expected to rise by a foot by 2050 if we continue along our current path, according to the Earth Information Center. That means that as time goes on, more and more coastal towns and cities are going to find themselves threatened by the same seas that they've relied on to thrive for decades or longer. On top of that, with sea levels rising, issues like flooding become more commonplace, with storms needing to be less and less severe to cause widespread flooding and damage. Managed retreat is a way to stave off those problems and keep towns safe from our changing climate. While extreme weather events have always existed, experts have found that human activities like burning dirty fuels have caused our planet to heat up, supercharging weather events and creating the need for proactive safety measures as temperatures rise. What's being done about managed retreat and rising ocean levels? Gildesgame said she's been having conversations for years about starting the process of managed retreat from coastal towns in New England. "I think it was like 2022 that I started having these conversations," she told EcoRI. "People were like, 'Oh, we can't talk about that. It's too complicated.' Governments don't want to be in the business of telling people where they can and can't live. There's deep, deep, deep trauma around government relocation in a lot of communities." However, she noted that people are realizing the severity of the situation. Do you think our power grid needs to be upgraded? Definitely Only in some states Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "We're tough New Englanders. We'll be fine. We'll just build stronger," Gildesgame said. "But we're dealing with something completely unprecedented." The hope is that by moving communities away from the shore, it will reduce the strain on the natural ecosystem in the area, restoring natural beaches, salt marshes, and sand dunes to mitigate the spread of flooding. As for the wider issue of coastal erosion and rising oceans, our best course of action is to continue prioritizing the reduction of carbon pollution, in the hopes of slowing our changing climate down. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
RNZ News
06-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Moving towns: 4 stories of communities facing relocation show the complex realities of managed retreat
By Stacy Vallis, Andrew Burgess, Ann Morrison, Imelda Piri and Priscila Bean* of The Ōpāwaho Heathcote River burst its banks during heavy rainfall last week. Natural hazards have long shaped our cities, the authors say. Photo: RNZ/Marika Hill Analysis : With large parts of New Zealand having recently been pummelled by ex-tropical Cyclone Tam and ongoing bouts of heavy rain, it is important to remember that natural hazards have long shaped our cities. Two townships in particular - Westport and Kumeū - have featured in national stories about floods since the 19th century. They are now among a growing number of places where flooding infrastructure is losing effectiveness and drastic actions have to be considered, including managed retreat. This raises understandable concerns about anticipated drops in land value and loss of social connection to a place. But managed or planned retreat is not a new concept nationally or globally. International examples can serve as useful references. These stories from four communities in three countries show how connection to culture and place can be either challenged or sustained when relocation becomes necessary. Back in 1956, the Australian township of Tallangatta in north-eastern Victoria was forced to move eight kilometres west because of the expansion of the Hume Weir. Originally, "old" Tallangatta was located at the meeting point of the Mitta Mitta River and the Tallangatta Creek. But this was subsumed by a significant water-storage facility, the Hume Dam (Lake Hume). During periods of low water levels, it is still possible to view the remains of the old town from a lookout. About a hundred houses and a few shops were relocated, including some Victorian buildings. Residents said there was no cost to the relocation, with relocated houses repainted and given modern plumbing facilities that did not previously exist. New public and commercial buildings were designed in the modernist architectural style of the era, and in 2016 Tallangatta was acknowledged as a "notable town" by the National Trust of Victoria. The blend of Victorian and mid-century modernist buildings characterises the new township and represents different eras in its history, including the physical and social upheaval of relocation. But while it can be possible to physically move timber buildings to a new site, characteristics such as original township layout and social connection to the surrounding landscape can be lost. Sweden's northernmost town of Kiruna faces a similar situation due to land subsidence caused by a huge iron ore mine. Its 18,000 inhabitants now have to move about three kilometres east. The town's rich cultural heritage includes a long Indigenous Sami history and a long period of industrial growth driven by the mine which saw it given national heritage recognition in the 1980s. The relocation process has not been without its challenges. One big question was how many historic buildings to move to help retain authentic connections to place. It was proposed that new building design would use the aesthetic qualities of the historic buildings. And there was discussion about either creating an "old town" within the site, or dispersing relocated buildings around the town. Eventually, local representatives and the mining company (which funded the relocation) decided about 50 of the oldest buildings would be relocated while the remainder would be demolished. Demolition has now taken place, along with construction of a new town hall to replace its predecessor, a heritage-listed building dating to 1964. Such decisions call for careful balancing of the impacts on local Indigenous cultural heritage, the economic role the mine has played in the town's expansion, and its contribution to iron production in Europe in general. A view of Kumeū from a helicopter during 2021 floods. Photo: Supplied / Christaan Head Climate change is making floods more intense and frequent. New Zealand's South Island town of Westport is a 19th-century coal mining and trading settlement that experienced severe flooding in July 2021 and again in February 2022. Although these floods were no larger than ones recorded in the past, their impact on homes and infrastructure was significantly greater due to Westport's expansion over the years. The July 2021 flood damaged more than 500 houses, resulting in a NZ$54 million flood protection plan. In 2023, the Buller District Council initiated a master plan to guide Westport's future growth and development. It focuses on the controlled expansion of the township to higher ground on government-owned Pāmu farmland one kilometre southwest of Westport. Flooding in Westport in July, 2021. Photo: Supplied/NZ Defence Force The council endorsed Westport's master plan in March this year, but some residents are still apprehensive about the changes . In the North Island, the township of Kumeū is close to Auckland, the country's biggest city, but still reflects its farming history. Following recent floods, as well as several major floods since 1926, Auckland Council and local leaders joined forces to devise a plan to improve the town's resilience. While the prospect of managed retreat has been raised, proactive river maintenance seems the preferred option, including regular debris clearance by local contractors to optimise storm water drainage. Managed retreat presents opportunities for improvement to Kumeū's infrastructure. But the long-established cultural relationships between people and landscapes in Aotearoa New Zealand also need to inform inclusive decisions about major relocations. Connection to heritage rests on relationships with place and setting. These can include buildings, landscapes and views, as well as the historical and cultural values associated with a given site. * Stacy Vallis is a Lecturer in Architecture and Emerging Technologies, Auckland University of Technology; Andrew Burgess is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture, Auckland University of Technology; Ann Morrison is an Associate Professor in Interactive Design, Auckland University of Technology; Imelda Piri is a Lecturer in Built Environments Engineering, Auckland University of Technology; Priscila Besen is a Lecturer in Sustainable Architecture, Auckland University of Technology. This article was first published by The Conversation .
