Posted on 02/09/2023 1:47:06 PM PST by devane617
Humans are artificially expanding cities' coastlines by extending industrial ports and creating luxury residential waterfronts. Developers have added over 2,350 square kilometers of land (900 square miles, or about 40 Manhattans) to coastlines in major cities since 2000, according to a new study.
The study reports the first global assessment of coastal land reclamation, which is the process of building new land or filling in coastal water bodies, including wetlands, to expand a coastline. The researchers used satellite imagery to analyze land changes in 135 cities with populations of at least 1 million, 106 of which have done some coastline expansion.
The study was published in the journal Earth's Future.
"Population growth is not the only driver of coastal land reclamation," the study's authors said. "We expect that reclamation would continue to be popular in places that not only experience urban growth but also are eager to re-brand themselves for reputation and revenue."
Coastal land reclamation today is most common in the Global South, where many economies are rapidly growing. In the previous century and earlier, the Global North dominated the use of coastal land construction. The study found China, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates added the most land area, with port extension being the most common reason for development. Shanghai alone has added about 350 square kilometers (135 square miles) of land. In the United States, by comparison, only Los Angeles has noticeably added land area in the last 20 years, with 0.29 square kilometers (0.1 square miles) built.
Correctamundo! I'll worry about rising sea levels whenever the ancient Greek port city Ephesus is no longer miles away from the coastline.
If the dirt that is pumped into the sea to make new land comes from the land, this causes sea level rise. If the dirt comes from the sea, it does not affect sea level rise. This should be a major issue for anyone who is concerned about the ocean rising. No dirt from the land should be dumped into the sea to expand the base of the land at the expense of rising sea level.
Siltation from rivers causes the sea level to rise.
There’s your sea level rise from Gorbal warming.
Exactly. Why are they doing this when its all going to be under 100 feet of water in about 20 years????
The “Global North”
Got theirs with reclamation of coastal lands in countless places. Boston being perhaps the most dramatic example in the US. Now we’re into “wetlands restoration.” We’ll need to come up with a much more nefarious-sounding term than the traditional “reclamation” if we want to bully the Third World into avoiding use of a very potent development = wealth building tool.
Those dirty, dirty Dutch. Soon they, and their tulip bulbs, will overrun the entire world!
.
Exactly. These manmade lands are very low and prone to getting submerged in the climate catastrophe.
Who in their right minds would be investing hundreds of billions of dollars in property that is going to get washed away in 7.42 years?
“If the dirt comes from the sea, it does not affect sea level rise”
It would cause sea level to drop.
Humans and animals have been reclaiming land from oceans, lakes and rivers since forever. So what?
So Will Rogers was wrong? Whoda thunk it?
“It would cause sea level to drop.”
Yes. To the extent of the dirt above the water, the sea level would drop.
Beavers are the only solution.
“...animals have been reclaiming land from oceans, lakes and rivers since forever...”
-
I need an example please, I can not think of any.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.