It is over for south Florida. It is as simple as that.

[pscot]

The problem stems from the top, Kirtman said, from the absolute insistence of influential climate change deniers that global warming is not happening. "When statesmen like Rubio say things like that, they make it very, very hard for anything to get done on a local level – for instance for Miami to raise the millions it needs to build new sewers and canals. If local people have been told by their leaders that global warming is not happening, they will simply assume you are wasting their money by building defences against it.

"But global warming is occurring. That is absolutely unequivocal. Since the 1950s, the climate system has warmed. That is an absolute fact. And we are now 95% sure that that warming is due to human activities. If I was 95% sure that my house was on fire, would I get out? Obviously I would. It is straightforward."

This point is backed by Harold Wanless. "Every day we continue to pump uncontrolled amounts of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, we strengthen the monster that is going to consume us. We are heating up the atmosphere and then we are heating up the oceans so that they expand and rise. There doesn't look as if anything is going to stop that. People are starting to plan in Miami but really they just don't see where it is all going."

Thus one of the great cities of the world faces obliteration in the coming decades. "It is over for south Florida. It is as simple as that. Nor is it on its own," Wanless admits.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/11/miami-drowning-climate-change-deniers-sea-levels-rising

[global1]

1. When The Beaches Are Gone And Hotel Lobby's Are Flooded With Water.....

they'll get the message.

I don't understand how all the big touristy hotels that make their money in Miami don't have a say in this. They stand to lose big. It just doesn't make sense. Or is this just another 'cost of doing business' and Miami will be written off?

[Maedhros]

2. I remember in the 90s reading an article about how all the hotels on the South Carolina

barrier islands were insured by the U.S. Government, because private insurance would not do it. Those barrier islands are made of sand, and constantly shift and change shape over time. Hurricanes can entirely remove the smaller ones, and drastically alter the others. Building a resort hotel on one is folly.

Folly insured by your tax dollars. I'm sure a similar deal is in place in south Florida.

[global1]

5. As A Taxpayer I Don't Like That......

It always riles me when a hurricane blows through an area that is always in the path - that in the aftermath - most of the times - things are rebuilt - only to be a target for the subsequent hurricanes.

Insuring these with our tax dollars doesn't make sense. If private insurance won't insure that to me speaks loudly.

[Maedhros]

8. "Job Creation" [n/t]

[jeff47]

4. Long term vs short term.

Those hotels will benefit in the long term if they do pressure politicians to deal with climate change.

They will be harmed in the short term as a significant percentage of their customers choose other hotels, due to all the conservatives insisting climate change doesn't exist.

Business almost always chooses the short-term gain over the long-term gain. Even if that short-term gain will destroy the company in the long run.

[samsingh]

3. florida seems to be a contributor to the gop's ability to steal elections

[HooptieWagon]

6. Florida went for Obama twice.

And has one Red and one (somewhat) Blue Senators. Florida's issues are gerrymandered Congressional and State Legislative districts, combined with a seriously fucked-up state democratic party more concerned with keeping progressives out of office than republicans.

That said, the OP is correct. South Florida is pretty well fucked. The bedrock is porous limestone. Even if dikes were built, the water will come up from below. And it's doubtfull enough fill could be brought in to build the cities up. It would take massive amounts. Miami will have to be abandoned at some point in the future.

[samsingh]

10. good point

[packman]

7. Isn't Rubio

the US senator for that area AND isn't he a climate change denier? Well, they can always look to Venice as a model. Boating thru southern Miami and Southern Florida with your gondoliers singing sweet romantic songs. Disney will do it.

[blkmusclmachine]

9. South Florida, Houston, New Orleans, AL coast, FL panhandle. Eventually Hawaii and NYC, and all

coastal/low lying areas worldwide.

The Fundies and Evangelicals, of course, think they'll be "raptured" before all that, by their Invisible Bearded Caucasian Magic Sky Daddy who lives both everywhere and nowhere.

And with "faith" like that, you don't ever need no stinkin' backup plan, just in case, you know, that you might be WRONG.


Religion will be the Death of all of us. Untold misery and hardship. Your childrens future, erased.

[raccoon]

11. It sounds as if the ground underneath in Miami might give way. Anybody here know about that?

"The city – and its satellite towns and resorts – is built on a dome of porous limestone which is soaking up the rising seawater, slowly filling up the city's foundations and then bubbling up through drains and pipes."