I have looked at this situation for more than 12 seconds and although I see that it is a horrendously complicated mess, given all the competing interests and opinions and careers involved, it really does come down to "trying to harness the river was a fool's game, and you're going to have to back off and rethink this completely. Nature is taking the pieces away."
Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
101–110 of 145 posts
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#102You can nicely see where land turned to see and vice versa with the aqua-monitor: http://aqua-monitor.appspot.com/ A lot of the Louisiana marshes have disappeared
How does this work? I don't see any explanation of the colors.
It was on the main page: Green and blue colors represent areas where surface water changes occured during the last 30 years. Green pixels show where surface water has been turned into land (accretion, land reclamation, droughts). Blue pixels show where land has been changed into surface water (erosion, reservoir construction).
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#103Earlier quoted context omitted.
Having lived in the area, there's pretty much no-one there who is confused on this.
Rising sea levels due to AGW is a contributing factor[0]. Living in an area (whose economy is) also dominated by the oil industry, I understand why you and the people living in your area tend to be confused on this. [0] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170314081553.h... EDIT: added source link
You're being condescending. Everyone in the area knows that the main culprit in losing coastline isn't AGW but the taming of the river, essentially dumping sediment that used to build the delta over the continental shelf, and all the channels cut into the marsh.
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#104Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd only be comfortable with taxing carbon emissions from flights if all of the tax money was directly funneled into clean energy research and development. Otherwise, it's just going into the pockets of politicians and funding defense contractors.
No, it's still better for it to be taxed than not. I would be perfectly happy to see a revenue neutral carbon tax. What the tax is spent on is orthogonal.
No, what the tax is spent on is extremely important. For instance, if revenue from a carbon tax is funneled into subsidies for cattle ranchers, it's kind of counter-intuitive isn't it?
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#105Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd only be comfortable with taxing carbon emissions from flights if all of the tax money was directly funneled into clean energy research and development. Otherwise, it's just going into the pockets of politicians and funding defense contractors.
The other alternative is to use the tax income to offset other taxes, or even return it directly to citizens as a dividend.
Then what's the point of the tax? I can see how airlines may funnel some effort into R&D to reduce carbon emissions, but only to the point where it becomes profitable to them. Returning the tax as a dividend to the consumer is just as pointless as the consumer is in no way obligated to be climate conscious with their capital.
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#106I've been asking people to name the most effective leaders in the area of global warming. When I say my answer, they look surprised, but then agree: the Koch Brothers and Donald Trump. They are leading people not to change their behavior and this is the result. No one is leading in the direction of reducing consumption with nearly the effectiveness as them. Instead of leading ourselves, the overwhelming majority of A…
What's wrong with losing coastline? There's no shortage of land in America or the world in general.
Because everyone is entitled when it comes to housing. When people become obese we say that's not healthy, we should change that. When people knowingly live in disaster zones we say "but they grew up there".
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#107Earlier quoted context omitted.
Rising sea levels due to AGW is a contributing factor[0]. Living in an area (whose economy is) also dominated by the oil industry, I understand why you and the people living in your area tend to be confused on this. [0] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170314081553.h... EDIT: added source link
You're being condescending. Everyone in the area knows that the main culprit in losing coastline isn't AGW but the taming of the river, essentially dumping sediment that used to build the delta over the continental shelf, and all the channels cut into the marsh.
My apologies, I didn't mean to be condescending. However, It is a fact that sea level rise is a large factor in this, even if it is not the "main culprit". Most people in that area rely on the oil industry either directly through employment or indirectly through the local economy so they tend to have a blind spot when it comes to AGW, which is completely understandable.
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#108Good for the governor. Compare that to North Carolina where the legislature passed a law sticking their fingers in everybody's ears: http://blogs.cuit.columbia.edu/culr/2016/03/21/north-carolin...
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#109Earlier quoted context omitted.
Having lived in the area, there's pretty much no-one there who is confused on this.
Rising sea levels due to AGW is a contributing factor[0]. Living in an area (whose economy is) also dominated by the oil industry, I understand why you and the people living in your area tend to be confused on this. [0] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170314081553.h... EDIT: added source link
> they were able to calculate how rapidly sea level is rising with respect to the coastal wetland surface
Your link doesn't support your claim. It says region has a higher-than-average relative change. The sea doesn't rise locally, but the ground can sink downward locally.
Re: Louisiana’s Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Disappearing Coastline
#110Earlier quoted context omitted.
Thirty years ago, John McPhee wrote about this very issue. At that time a ship on the Mississippi river could go through a lock, drop FIFTY FEET, and take a shortcut to the ocean via the Atachfalaya river. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1987/02/23/atchafalaya Just because it's not a new situation doesn't mean it's not an emergency.
I don't think the parent comment disagrees with you that it's an emergency...I think he's surprised by the designation because it'll focus attention on the root source of the problem and make the local governments confront a not-new problem of their own making...it's a focus they may not expect or want.
> attention ... the local governments ... may not want
Having lived on the west bank, south of New Orleans, if there is anything I expect from Louisiana politicians, it's a keen pursuit of their personal, short-term self-interest. If they can each make $50,000 by dumping 50B in the Gulf, they vote "yea" before their sclerotic arteries see another hypertensive heartbeat.