Super Eco

Photo credit: nhennette, SXC

We already knew that Venice is sinking, and has been, but New York? Maybe, yes. Scientists have been scrambling to get a solid handle on just how global climate change is going to play out on the planet over the next few decades, and while there's yet to be a true consensus, the latest news seems to be that it's worse than previously thought. It's now projected that the Big Apple is going to see more sweltering summer days and fewer days below freezing. White Christmas? Not likely. River taxis in Times Square? Maybe.

A new report released earlier this week by Mayor Michael Bloomberg was based on projections developed by projections specific to New York City that were developed by the New York City Panel on Climate Change, a group consisting of climate change scientists, academics, and private sector practitioners. The city has formed a Climate Change Adaptation Task Force that plans to make necessary adaptations to the city's infrastructure—like moving key electrical equipment to higher ground—sooner rather than awaiting a critical disaster.

The entire city is on low-lying ground and would likely be radically affected by the projected sea level change of 12 to 23 inches over the next several decades. (That particular climate change model projection isn't as dire as what Gaia Theory originator James Lovelock proposes, with sea level increases of closer to 41 to 55 inches, but the Climate Change Adaptation Task Force is trying to look hard at all the potential possibilities.)

New Yorkers are known to be a tough breed. We're thinking that maybe swimming lessons should be included in this advance planning, though. Just in case.