From a February 2022 report in the Boston Globe:
“An interagency study, led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, forecasts that by 2050, sea levels along US coastlines will be about a foot higher than they were in 2000. That increase will be even sharper in Boston and elsewhere in the Northeast: The region is likely to see 16 inches of sea level rise compared with 2000 levels.
Without urgent action to curb planet-warming pollution, sea levels in the Northeast could rise almost 2 feet by 2050. That’s significant as sea levels in the region have risen by less than 1 foot in the last century.
In the later part of the century, things will get even more dire. By 2100, under a worst-case scenario where emissions keep increasing, researchers estimate that sea levels around Boston could rise by 6.4 feet.
Sea level rise is already causing more frequent coastal flooding in low-lying areas along Massachusetts’ shorelines and has put hundreds of thousands of homes at risk. Reports show these risks disproportionately affect already marginalized communities.”
What is the City of Boston doing about this?
The City has a comprehensive plan to slow down the pace of global warming and to meet the IPPAC target of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees centigrade by 2050. This plan starts with the obvious: It initiates aggressive steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are the chief cause of the warming climate and the rising seasons. Carbon-Free Boston takes a multi-dimensional approach: working on reducing GHG’s in different sectors of the economy, while also paying attention to those front-line communities hardest hit by the consequences of the GHG emissions and other pollutants released in their neighborhoods.
Boston also has a plan to manage the impacts that we are already experiencing from global warming such as increased flooding. Preparing for Climate Change (also known as Climate Ready Boston) addresses a range of issues, including rising temperatures and coastal resilience.
What actions can you take?
Every step we as individuals take to reduce our carbon footprint is helpful. But we must also work collaboratively to be sure that decision-makers and policy-makers are responsibly acting to reduce the carbon footprint of our society. Their decisions have impacts across the population of people they serve—and across the different sectors of our economy. These decisions can either work to reduce emissions and the release of other toxic compounds into our air and the atmosphere OR they can serve the interests of the industries which benefit from those emissions.
Joining with a group like Boston Green Action is one way to amplify your voice for change with legislators in the state house or city council, with the Mayor and the Governor, as well as with the regulatory offices and state agencies making the critical decisions that impact the effective reduction of GHGs. Grassroots efforts have already had a huge impact on that decision-making process. More voices are needed in this movement to transition our economy from fossil fuels to clean energy and to slow down the rising tides that threaten our City.
Nancy Gertner
Map: Boston.com