8.8 Feet of Sea Level Rise by 2100

Source: Pinterest

A global sea level rise of 8.8 feet could easily mean 20 feet in New Orleans: one tropical storm, and "blub, blub!"

In the last days of Barack Obama's administration, US government scientists warned even more sea level rise is expected by century's end than previously estimated, due to rapid ice sheet melting at the poles. 

The report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) set the "extreme" scenario of global average sea level rise by 2100 to 8.2 feet (2.5 meters), up half a meter from the last estimate issued in 2012. 

"We raised the upper limit of our scenarios," lead author William Sweet told AFP. 

"It is possible. It has a very low probability. But we can't discount it entirely."

How low a possibility? 0.1 percent? 0.5 percent? One percent? Five percent? The one percent doctrine means we must plan for it and act as required to counteract the threat.

To find out more, click here.

Here's an idea on Boston protecting itself from sea level rise:

"The Sapphire Necklace"
Source: The Boston Globe.

For more on what Boston might set out to do to protect itself, click here.