The phrase “climate change” tends to evoke the same responses from most: rising temperatures, melting ice caps, CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and so on. Climate change, however, is much more complex than this, with many causes and myriad of effects. One such result not considered by many is how climate change can affect the weather beyond an increase in temperature.

New York is vulnerable to many of these changes. Scientific predictions indicate that extreme weather such as droughts and heat waves will become longer and more intense, and storms will become even stronger. It is of great importance that New York takes measures to adapt to climate change and its effects.

Contents

1. Climate Change and Weather
2. Threat to NYC
3. Hurricane Sandy
4. Adaptation and Mitigation
5. Beyond NYC
6. Conclusion
7. Citations
 

 
 
Climate Change and Weather

There is a general consensus within the scientific community that climate change will not cause an increase in the number of storms, but an increase in the intensity of storms.  In NYC, climate change may result in the occurrence of brief, intense rainstorms; more frequent and intense ice storms; and more intense tropical storms (hurricanes and nor’easters).  Tropical storms will affect the entire North Atlantic basin as well.

Hurricanes are larger storms with larger surges and greater wind damage, but nor’easters, while weaker, can last longer. The rise in temperature and subsequent rise in sea level will cause these storms to be more powerful and cause greater flooding.  NYC is particularly susceptible to flooding due to its dense population and geographic location. Flooding causes damage by itself and also leads to erosion of infrastructure (especially those not protected to saltwater exposure), the spread of pollution through runoff, and costs in repairing this damage. [1][2][3]

 
 
Threat to NYC

In addition to tropical storms, we must also consider extreme weather conditions such as heat waves and droughts and how they will be affected by climate change.  They both will, like tropical storms, become more severe, but heat waves will also become more frequent and longer in duration.  These heat waves will place additional stress on building materials and increase the use of electricity in the summer and reduce the use of heating in the winter, while also placing strain on water demand as it is used more for cooling.  Droughts, likewise, can place stress on equipment and machinery and strain the water supply.

Adapting to these possible changes will include the installation of flood walls and pumps to handle flooding; the expansion of flood zones; updating the NYC Coastal Storm Plan; and giving more consideration to the construction of bridges and buildings.

One thing to consider is that due to the infrequency of storms in NYC, the data is not completely reliable. The information on possible storm damage comes from projected changes in sea level.  A place to start, though, is to evaluate the history of past storms in NYC.  In regard to heat waves, the number of hot days and heat waves in NYC fluctuates frequently year to year, but “seven of the ten years with the most days over 90 degrees in the 107-year record have occurred since 1980.”[1][2][3]

 
 
Adaptation and Mitigation

Hurricanes draw strength from warm ocean waters. The potential invention mentioned in this article, patented by Bill Gates among other co-inventors, would use barges with turbines to pump cold water into the path of storms, thereby reducing their strength.  There is much skepticism toward just how effective this would be, if it could be implemented at all. However, at the very least, the idea behind it makes sense, and the intent to adapt to stronger storms and prevent damage is good. [4]

Hurricane Sandy has brought attention to many New Yorkers the need to better prepare for storms.  People point to the construction of storm surge barriers in Russia and the Netherlands as prime examples of practical and successful adaptation.  Many also remember the Rising Currents exhibitions at MoMA, in which architects designed possible ways to deal with rising sea levels associated with climate change.  Some ideas include the construction of artificial islands and reefs to deal with waves, and making surfaces better handle moisture (such as the use of porous sidewalks).  These are only potential ideas at this point.[5]

 
 
Beyond NYC

The Netherlands are a prime example of a country with a dense population and geographical similarity to New York. We would do well to learn from how they are adapting to climate change.

The Delta Works is a series of construction projects in the southwest of the Netherlands to protect a large area of land around the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta from the sea. The aim of the dams, sluices, and storm surge barriers was to shorten the Dutch coastline, thus reducing the number of dikes that had to be raised. Basically, the idea is to prevent flooding and water damage.

Another idea is that we should hunt muskrats to extinction in order to prevent damage to structures.

Mitt Romney said during the presidential election that global warming is called GLOBAL for a reason, and it is just that – not AMERICAN warming, but global warming – and it is an issue that many nations must learn to deal with. However, every country has a unique set of circumstances and challenges. Therefore, it would be best if we did not copy Dutch solutions exactly, but merely garnered wisdom from their way of thinking.

 
 
Conclusion

Six weeks after Hurricane Sandy struck, the New York City area is still recovering. The extent of the damage caused by the storm has opened the eyes of many to the lack of preparedness in New York. Now, regardless of political stance or opinion on climate change, everyone recognizes the importance of adaptation in protecting our future.

 
 
Citations

1) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05323.x/full.  Date Accessed: 24 Nov 2012.

2) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05324.x/full.  Date Accessed: 24 Nov 2012.

3) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05325.x/full.  Date Accessed: 24 Nov 2012.

4) http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/research/2009-07-15-gates-hurricanes_N.htm. Date Accessed: 24 Nov 2012.

5) http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/10/15052860-ideas-on-protecting-new-york-from-future-storms-float-to-surface?lite?vm=r.  Date Accessed: 24 Nov 2012.

6) http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/10/30/did-climate-change-cause-hurricane-sandy/.  Date Accessed: 25 Nov 2012

7) http://www.fema.gov/news-release/federal-support-new-york-response-hurricane-sandy-5?vm=r. Date Accessed: 25 Nov 2012.

8) http://ovum.com/2012/10/31/new-york-citys-response-to-hurricane-sandy-shows-the-power-of-it-to-enable-municipal-resilience/?vm=r. Date Accessed: 25 Nov 2012.

9) http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/10/30/nyregion/hurricane-sandys-aftermath.html. Date Accessed: 28 Nov 2012.