Climate change might not be a new concept, but the speed at which it is impacting the world is certainly increasing. Today, issues directly related to climate change affect many vulnerable cities in the United States. Charleston, South Carolina, is one of those standing to lose the most in coming years. From rising sea levels to coastal erosion, many risk factors mark the city as desperately in need of climate-related change. To that end, local and national government initiatives are poised to help mitigate the threat. In this article, we’ll explore what makes Charleston particularly vulnerable to climate change and what is happening to help address this challenge.
Vulnerabilities
While there are several reasons Charleston is one of the more vulnerable cities in the country when it comes to extreme weather and other climate-related consequences, there are three that we will discuss in this section:
- Rising sea levels
- Coast erosion
- Old infrastructure
All three of these risk factors must be carefully addressed before permanent damage is done to the Charleston area.
Rising sea levels
One of the biggest issues currently facing Charleston is rising sea levels. Charleston is located along the coast of the Atlantic, with much of the city sitting at or below sea level. Charleston’s low-lying topography is especially susceptible to flooding due to high tides and storm surges. This means that while it is currently dry, for the most part, and flood-free, every inch of rising waters has the potential to spell disaster for millions of inhabitants.
Rising levels are mainly attributed to storms and excessive rainfall, issues that seem to be on the rise in the region as the climate becomes more unpredictable.
Coastal erosion
Another issue that makes Charleston especially susceptible to climate change complications is coastal erosion. As we mentioned above, the city is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. Large portions of the area lie on coastal land. While this makes for a beautiful living experience, it puts inhabitants at risk as the coast erodes from increased storm activity in addition to other natural factors. Accelerated erosion threatens not just coastal properties, but also infrastructure and local ecosystems too.
The same storms and excessive rainfall that impact sea levels also affect coastal erosion. As the coasts become smaller, the land surrounding existing structures shrinks, resulting in even more flooding and damage to infrastructure.
Old infrastructure
Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the United States. One of its biggest appeals to tourists are the numerous historic buildings that have stood for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, the same infrastructure makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change. Old drainage systems and seawalls are just some of the challenges that these historic foundations present.
Flooding can be catastrophic to old infrastructure, and as we’ve discussed above, flooding is a serious threat in the area due to both rising sea levels and coastal erosion. The private bipartisan efforts of groups like No Labels to address climate change-related weather effects like these play a key role in our future. Their climate-based initiatives operate at both local and national levels.
Local climate change initiatives
Climate change is not going away. It will not fix itself and we must be proactive in recognizing the potential issues and addressing them as quickly, sustainably and effectively as possible.
The City of Charleston is actively developing, evolving and implementing a climate change strategy. The Flooding and Sea-Level Rise Strategy aims to track the areas most at risk of flooding from coastal erosion and rising sea levels and find solutions to help the communities. Improving flooding drainage and adapting sea-level rise projects and policies are some of the most significant local initiatives the city has to offer residents.
National climate change initiatives
On a national level, the United States government is dedicated to addressing the climate crisis and creating effective solutions to life-threatening problems. Known as the Federal Sustainability Plan, the US has drafted a policy with many initiatives in multiple sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, transportation, electricity and infrastructure. The overall goal is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% by 2030, meet a 50% electric vehicle quota by 2030, produce 100% of electricity free of carbon pollution by 2035 and reach an emissions economy of net-zero by 2050.
In order to achieve all of the above, roughly $26bn in environmental spending has been set aside for nature-based solutions. Other initiatives include:
- Accelerating clean energy transition
- Improving global cooperation
- Addressing deforestation
- Dealing with non-CO2 “super pollutants” via the Global Methane Pledge
The above is not an exhaustive list! If you are interested in learning more, you can check out the government website dedicated to the Sustainability Plan.
Charleston is a city in need of help to address climate change. The good news is that the local and national communities are rallying around the region to help combat potential consequences and retain the area’s cultural heritage.
