>> PEOPLE ARE PAST THE POINT
OF BEING INTERESTED IN THE
DEBATE OF WHETHER CLIMATE
CHANGE IS REAL OR NOT.
THEY JUST SAY, I WANT
SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS.
>> YOU CAN DEBATE
ALL DAY LONG WHETHER
IT'S MAN-MADE OR NOT.
THAT IS ACTUALLY
NOT THE POINT.
>> IT'S AMAZING
HOW FEW PEOPLE WANT TO TALK
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.
THEY WANT TO TOTALLY
DISMISS IT.
>> THE CLIMATE,
IN THE LONG TERM,
CAN HAVE AN IMPACT
ON HUMAN HEALTH.
>> WHAT DO WE SAVE?
WHO DO WE SAVE?
DO WE SAVE THESE WONDERFUL
NATIONAL MONUMENTS?
DO WE SAVE THE CULTURE?
DO WE SAVE THE PEOPLE?
>> IF WE LOOK JUST AT THE
ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT LOOKING
AT THE ECONOMIC
AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE,
WE'RE MISSING TWO PARTS OF
A VERY IMPORTANT EQUATION.
>> BUSINESSES ARE JUST AS
EXPOSED TO CLIMATE CHANGE AS
INDIVIDUALS, AS COMMUNITIES,
AS THE ENVIRONMENT.
>> WHAT WE REALLY NEED
TO FOCUS ON ARE
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS:
OUR ELDERLY, OUR DISABLED,
OUR ECONOMICALLY CHALLENGED.
WE KNOW THEY'RE OUR
MOST AT-RISK POPULATION.
WE JUST KNOW THAT.
>> CAN BIG PROBLEMS
BE SOLVED IN THE PRESENT
POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT?
THE ANSWER, UNFORTUNATELY,
IS I DON'T KNOW.
>> BUT THE BOTTOM LINE
IS THAT WHAT IS
UNDENIABLE HERE,
WHAT IS UNDENIABLE,
IS THAT SEA LEVEL HAS RISEN
AND IT IS RISING FASTER
THAN IT WAS.
>> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM
IS PROVIDED BY
THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
PUBLIC INFORMATION
AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
MUSC, CHANGING
WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
>> FROM THE ROCKY COASTS
OF MAINE TO THE WARM BEACHES
OF FLORIDA,
THE ATLANTIC COAST
AND THE OCEAN BEYOND
PROVIDE AMERICANS
WITH MANY OF THE THINGS
THAT MAKE LIFE WORTH LIVING.
THE ATLANTIC
CONNECTS, DIVIDES,
AND DEFINES.
IT'S A MUSE FOR POETS
AND A SUBJECT FOR ARTISTS,
AND, LET'S FACE IT,
ON A WARM SUMMER DAY,
THERE'S HARDLY
A BETTER PLACE TO BE
THAN A SANDY SHORE.
SCIENCE AND OBSERVATION
TELL US THAT SEA LEVELS
ARE RISING, THOUGH THERE'S
HARDLY ANYWHERE WHERE IT'S
MORE APPARENT THAN RIGHT
HERE AT HUNTING ISLAND STATE
PARK IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
HERE AT THE WATER'S EDGE,
IT'S EASY TO SEE THE DAMAGE
THAT'S DONE BY RISING
SEA LEVELS AND STORM SURGE,
AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS,
THIS HISTORICALLY POPULAR
STATE PARK
HAS TO CLOSE TO VISITORS.
IT'S GOT ERODING BEACHES AND
INCREDIBLY DAMAGED DUNES,
AND NOW, ALL BUT TWO
OF THE CABINS THAT FORMERLY
DOTTED THIS ISLAND
ARE COMPLETELY GONE.
AND IT'S NOT
AN ISOLATED EXAMPLE.
ALONG THE 200-MILE STRETCH
OF COASTLINE THAT RUNS
FROM MYRTLE BEACH,
SOUTH CAROLINA,
DOWN TO SAVANNAH, GEORGIA--
WHICH, BY THE WAY,
IS HOME TO A RAPIDLY
GROWING POPULATION,
MILITARY BASES, PORT CITIES,
TOURIST DESTINATIONS, AND
A THRIVING SEAFOOD ECONOMY--
A RISING TIDE OF UNCERTAINTY
IS ACCOMPANYING
RISING SEA LEVELS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT CHANGE,
"SEA CHANGE."
♪♪
♪♪
>> YOU SEE THIS BEAUTIFUL
HARBOR BEHIND US.
IN THE LAST 100 YEARS,
IT'S ALREADY KNOWN
THAT IT'S RISEN 18 INCHES.
OVER THE NEXT 30 TO 40
YEARS, IT'S PROJECTED
IT COULD EASILY RISE
ANOTHER FOOT AND A HALF
TO 2 1/2 FEET,
18 TO 30 INCHES.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE
EXISTING, QUOTE, NUISANCE
FLOODING THAT WE HAVE,
IF YOU ADD ANOTHER 2 FEET ON
TOP OF THAT, IT'S PROJECTED
THAT DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON AND
MAJOR PARTS OF WEST ASHLEY
AND, REALLY,
COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA
COULD NOT ONLY HAVE NUISANCE
FLOODING, BUT FLOODING
THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS
OUR DAILY LIVES.
>> THE GREATER GRAND STRAND
IS VERY VULNERABLE
TO WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.
IT'S THE RISING OCEAN.
IT'S THE MARINE LIFE.
IT'S OUR TOURISM.
IT'S THE CULTURAL EFFECTS,
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE,
THE SWEETGRASS BASKETS.
THEY ARE A PART OF
OUR CULTURE, AND THEY'RE
GONNA DISAPPEAR WHEN
THE SWEETGRASS DISAPPEARS.
>> YOU KNOW, I SEE
SOME OF THE SWEETGRASS
SEEM AS THOUGH IT'S DYING
AT THE ROOTS OF IT,
AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY
FROM THE WATER LEVEL,
THAT IT SITS SO LONG
AND START ROTTING
IN THE ROOT OF IT.
I THINK THE SEA LEVEL HAVE
SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.
>> OF COURSE CLIMATE CHANGE
IS GOING TO HAVE
A TREMENDOUS EFFECT
ON OUR CULTURAL RESOURCES,
PARTICULARLY IN OUR COASTAL
PARKS, BUT IT COULD BE
ANY PARK BECAUSE, WHEN WE
LOOK AT THE CLIMATE CHANGE
SCIENCE, WE KNOW IT'S
NOT JUST COASTAL EFFECTS.
DROUGHT, EROSION, STORM
EVENTS, THESE ARE THINGS
THAT ARE NOT LIMITED
TO THE COAST,
SO ALL OF OUR PARK PROJECTS
ARE BEING AFFECTED
BY CLIMATE CHANGE,
AND I THINK THAT'S
THE REASON WHY THE NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE HAS IMPLEMENTED
A CLIMATE CHANGE
RESPONSE STRATEGY.
>> THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU
CAN DENY THAT WE HAVE
MORE HIGH-WATER EVENTS,
WHETHER IT'S ON THE U.S.
HIGHWAY 80 CAUSEWAY HEADING
OUT TO TYBEE ISLAND--
AND EVEN THE STORMS
THAT AFFECT US, WHETHER
IT'S THE MARSH DEGRADATION,
POTENTIALLY THE SETTLING
OF OUR DIKE SYSTEM,
AND A NUMBER
OF DIFFERENT FACTORS--
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S
EYE-OPENING WHEN YOU COME
OUT HERE, ESPECIALLY ON ANY
OF THE SPRING OR KING TIDES
THAT WE HAVE, WHERE YOU SEE
HOW CLOSE THE WATER IS
ON A PERFECTLY SUNNY,
BEAUTIFUL DAY
AND THEN YOU ADD IN
THE SPECTER OF A HUGE STORM
COMING THROUGH HERE
WITH A LARGE STORM SURGE
AND THE KIND OF DAMAGE
THAT IT CAN BE.
I MEAN, THE WEATHER IS
AWESOME, AND IT'S SOMETHING
THAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
OF AND YOU HAVE TO BE
WATCHFUL AND MINDFUL OF.
>> YOU CAN RIDE THROUGH THE
SOUTH CAROLINA LOWCOUNTRY,
WHETHER IT'S
GEORGETOWN, CHARLESTON,
COLLETON COUNTY,
AND YOU GO ACROSS
LOTS OF ISLANDS
CONNECTED BY CAUSEWAYS,
AND IT IS NOT RARE
THAT, ON A HIGH TIDE
OR KING TIDE,
THESE CAUSEWAYS ARE COVERED.
>> I'M SEEING
MORE AND MORE AND MORE
THE EFFECTS OF FLOODING
AT HIGH TIDES DURING STORMS,
AND NOT EVEN SIGNIFICANT
STORMS, JUST A NICE STORM
THAT COMES IN IN THE EVENING
BECAUSE IT'S HOT,
OR DURING THE DAY.
I'M SEEING THE EFFECTS
ON FARMING WITH FLOODS
HAPPENING IN FIELDS.
I'M JUST SEEING IT
ON ACCESSIBILITY
ON OUR ROADWAYS,
BEING ABLE TO GET
TO ONE COMMUNITY
AND NOT BEING ABLE
TO GET TO ANOTHER.
>> I THINK THAT CLIMATE
CHANGE IS PROBABLY--
AND I DON'T NECESSARILY
SPEND A LOT OF TIME
IN HYPERBOLE--
BUT I THINK IT IS PROBABLY
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ISSUE
FACING US
AS A HUMAN SPECIES TODAY.
IT HAS BEEN, THROUGH
THE LAST 50 TO 75 YEARS,
IN PARTICULAR, THAT WE'VE
BEEN COLLECTING DATA.
WE HAVE BEEN ANALYZING
THAT DATA.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
EMPIRICALLY, BY OBSERVATION
AND EXPERIMENTATION,
SHOW THAT OUR PLANET
IS CHANGING...
NOT JUST CHANGING,
BUT CHANGING
ON A VERY RAPID BASIS.
>> WHEN WE ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT POSSIBLE WARMING OF
THE CLIMATE, WE HAVE TO ASK
OURSELVES WHAT IMPACT
CAN WARMING OF THE AIR
IN THE ATMOSPHERE
HAVE ON MOSQUITO-BORNE
DISEASES.
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS
TO ANSWER THAT.
ONE WAY IS TO THINK THAT,
AS THE CLIMATE WARMS,
INSECTS WHICH ARE
MORE COMMON IN TROPICAL
OR EQUATORIAL REGIONS
WOULD BE ABLE TO SURVIVE AND
THRIVE AT HIGHER LATITUDES,
NORTH OF THE EQUATOR--
OR FOR OUR FRIENDS
IN SOUTH AMERICA, SOUTH
OF THE EQUATOR AS WELL--
SO THAT WE HAVE
A CHANGE IN LATITUDE,
AND WHAT MIGHT BE A DISEASE
THAT WE THINK ABOUT
AS BEING IN SOUTH AMERICA
OR CENTRAL AMERICA
OR THE CARIBBEAN COULD START
TO CREEP UP FURTHER NORTH
INTO THE U.S.A.
>> CLIMATE CHANGE IS
A GLOBAL PHENOMENON.
IT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY
GETS THE SAME DEAL.
CHANGE HAPPENS AND KIND OF
PLAYS OUT REGIONALLY, AND
THERE'S LOTS OF FEEDBACKS
WITHIN THE SYSTEM
ON DIFFERENT TEMPORAL
AND SPATIAL SCALES.
SO YOU CAN BE IN ONE AREA
THAT HAS NOT BEEN GETTING
A LOT OF CHANGE SAYING,
THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.
YOU CAN BE IN ANOTHER AREA
THAT IS EXPERIENCING A LOT
OF CHANGE AND GOING,
ANECDOTALLY,
I PERCEIVE IT HAPPENING.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THAT
KIND OF COMPLEXITY WITHIN
THE SYSTEM THAT INFLUENCES
PEOPLE'S PERCEPTIONS.
>> PEOPLE CAN SEE IT,
FEEL IT, TOUCH IT
IN WAYS THAT WEREN'T
THE CASE.
I MEAN, LITERALLY,
YOU'RE SEEING THE EFFECTS
OF FLOODING.
OUR FARM FLOODED IN A WAY
THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN
OVER THE COURSE
OF MY 57 YEARS ON EARTH
WITH THIS LAST STORM.
AND YOU'RE ALSO SEEING
A LEVEL OF CONSENSUS WITHIN
THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
THAT'S NEVER BEEN THERE.
>> THE CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES
THAT A PLACE LIKE TYBEE
ISLAND ARE GOING TO FACE
IN THE FUTURE ARE REALLY NO
DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES THAT
THEY'VE BEEN FACING FOR AS
LONG AS THEY'VE BEEN THERE,
WHICH IS THESE BARRIER
ISLANDS OF SAND ARE DUNES
THAT MOVE AROUND,
AND ONCE YOU BUILD ROADS AND
HOUSES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
ON THEM, YOU TEND TO WANT
TO STABILIZE THAT SAND DUNE,
AND THEY'VE DONE ALL MANNER
OF STABILIZATION OVER
THE YEARS: GROINS, JETTY,
RIPRAP, PUMPING SAND,
AND RENOURISHMENT SEEMS
TO BE THE MAIN CHOICE NOW.
BUT THIS IS JUST AN ONGOING
PROCESS, AND WITH SEA LEVEL
RISE, IT'S JUST GOING TO
HAVE TO CONTINUE, AND IT'S
GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP UP,
AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE
ON THE ISLAND IS GOING
TO HAVE TO KEEP UP.
THE ROADS ARE GONNA HAVE TO
BE RAISED OR A BRIDGE MADE
IF YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN
THE COMMUNITY
AND THE ECONOMY OF
A VULNERABLE BARRIER ISLAND.
>> DURING THE RECENT STORM,
HURRICANE MATTHEW, IT WAS
BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION IN
REALLY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS
A PROFOUND STATEMENT OF THE
IMPACT THAT HUNTING ISLAND
HAD WITH THE DESTRUCTION
THAT MATTHEW DID
FOR HUNTING ISLAND.
SOMEONE SAID,
"BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
HUNTING ISLAND DID HER JOB
AND PROTECTED BEAUFORT."
AND SO IT'S THE NATURAL PART
OF A BARRIER ISLAND
PROTECTING THE MAINLAND, BUT
IT'S ALSO THAT COMPLICATED
STANDPOINT OF HUNTING ISLAND
AND RENOURISHING AND TAKING
CARE OF THIS BEACH
PROTECTS INFRASTRUCTURE,
LIKE ROADS, WATER, SEWER,
ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
ALL OF THOSE KIND OF THINGS
HAVE TO BE BROUGHT INTO PLAY
WHEN YOU MAKE THE DECISIONS
OF DO WE CONTINUE
TO RENOURISH, MAINTAIN,
PRESERVE, AND PROTECT
THESE ISLANDS?
>> WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL
RISE, THERE IS REALLY,
REALLY A DIRECT EFFECT ON
OUR GROUNDWATER SYSTEMS HERE
IN THE COASTAL COMMUNITY,
AND THE CHATHAM COUNTY
AND COASTAL GEORGIA AREA,
EVEN PORTIONS OF FLORIDA,
WE PULL OUR DRINKING WATER
FROM THE GROUND, FROM THE
FLORIDAN AQUIFER AS A WHOLE,
A HUGE SYSTEM
AND HIGHLY PRISTINE SYSTEM.
SO WHEN YOU START TO SEE,
AS BEHIND US,
THE SAVANNAH RIVER,
WHICH IS DIRECTLY SYNCHED UP
WITH WHERE WE'RE PULLING
OUR GROUNDWATER SYSTEM,
OVER TIME YOU WILL POSSIBLY
SEE AN IMPACT OF CLIMATE
CHANGE--HIGHER WATERS,
HIGHER TIDES--
AND THAT WATER'S
GONNA PUSH FURTHER UP THE
SAVANNAH RIVER BASICALLY,
AND THEN YOU CAN POSSIBLY
SEE AN IMPACT ON YOUR
DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS.
>> SEVERAL OF THE
SURFACE WATER INTAKES
IN THE WINYAH BAY AREA
ARE ACTUALLY IN PLAY
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CURRENT
PROJECTIONS OF SEA LEVEL
RISE, WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY
MEAN THAT, IF YOU HAVE
ANY TYPE OF SALT WATER
INTRUSION, YOU WOULD LOSE
A GOOD QUANTITY OF YOUR
CURRENT FRESHWATER SUPPLY.
THAT, WITHIN ITSELF,
MAY BE TENUOUS.
WHEN YOU COUPLE THAT
TO THE POPULATION GROWTH,
THAT BECOMES NOT JUST
A PASSING CONCERN,
BUT A SERIOUS CONCERN,
TO LOSE ANY ACCESS
TO FRESHWATER SUPPLIES.
>> McMillan: RISING
SEA LEVEL, INCREASES IN
SALINITY, AND AN OVERALL
RISE IN TEMPERATURE
ARE CLEARLY HAVING AN IMPACT
ON OUR COASTAL COMMUNITIES
AND BEYOND.
THERE'S HISTORIC FLOODING,
MUCH MORE POWERFUL STORM
SURGES, AND MANY OTHER
THREATS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT.
BUT WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS,
HOW SEVERE,
AND HOW FAR DO THEY GO
BEYOND WHAT WE
SO EASILY SEE, LIKE HERE
ON A BARRIER ISLAND?
AND WHAT ABOUT OUR HEALTH?
HOW ARE THE DYNAMICS
OF SO MUCH CHANGE
PRESENTING NEW HEALTH ISSUES
OR EXACERBATING
EXISTING ONES?
♪♪
>> THE HEALTH IMPACTS
FOR THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND
FROM CLIMATE CHANGE WILL
INCLUDE A LOT OF AILMENTS
THAT RELATE TO HEAT,
HEAT STRESS, STROKES,
RESPIRATORY DISEASES,
DIGESTIVE DISEASES, AS WELL
AS AN EXACERBATION
OF ILLNESSES
THAT ALREADY EXIST,
PREEXISTING CONDITIONS.
THOSE ARE
THE VULNERABLE PEOPLE
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM
IS OUR CONCERN BECAUSE
MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE
STILL, UNFORTUNATELY,
DO NOT HAVE HEALTHCARE.
THEY DO NOT VISIT
THEIR DOCTORS REGULARLY.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A SYSTEM
THAT WILL PROTECT THEM AND
HELP TO DECREASE THE IMPACTS
AND HELP THEM ADDRESS
WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY
DEALING WITH.
>> Brenner: WHEN THERE ARE
HEAT WAVES, SOME PEOPLE
HAVE HEAT STROKE,
AND SOMETIMES YOU HEAR
ABOUT PEOPLE DYING,
OFTEN OLDER PEOPLE
WHO ARE LIVING PERHAPS
WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING.
THAT WOULD BE A DIRECT
EFFECT OF THE HEAT.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE COULD BE
INCREASED SEVERE WEATHER.
THIS YEAR, WE'VE SEEN THAT
WITH, FOR EXAMPLE,
HURRICANES AND FLOODING
IN TEXAS, FLORIDA,
PUERTO RICO, AND SO FORTH.
AND THE WEATHER EXPERTS
CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO US IN
GREATER DETAIL, BUT AS THE
ATMOSPHERE WARMS, WE HAVE
MORE MOISTURE CONTENT
IN THE AIR AND MORE CHANCE
FOR HURRICANES
AND HEAVY RAINFALL.
BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW,
AS A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
PHYSICIAN, THE CHANGE THAT
I'M MOST CONCERNED ABOUT
THAT COULD RELATE
TO WEATHER
MIGHT BE CHANGES
IN WHAT ARE CALLED
VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES.
VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES
ARE INFECTIOUS DISEASES
WHERE THE TRANSMISSION
FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER
IS NOT MADE THROUGH
DIRECT CONTACT OR THROUGH
RESPIRATORY DROPLETS,
BUT WHERE A VECTOR,
USUALLY AN INSECT,
IS CARRYING THE VIRUS
OR SOME OTHER PATHOGEN FROM
ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER.
>> Sanford: WE HAD A SCARE
HERE JUST RECENTLY
WITH ZIKA VIRUS.
WHO THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA
TALK ABOUT ZIKA VIRUS OR
YELLOW FEVER OR THINGS LIKE
THAT IN THE UNITED STATES?
WELL, IN PART BECAUSE WE HAD
A WINTER THAT CAME THROUGH
AND SORT OF CLEARED THESE
THINGS OUT FOR THE NEXT
SEASON, WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF MAYBE FLORIDA AND PUERTO
RICO AND PARTS OF TEXAS--
YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE
A WARMING CLIMATE
AND, ALL OF SUDDEN, WE MOVE
TO MORE AND MORE OF A
TROPICAL CLIMATE IN GEORGIA
AND SOUTH CAROLINA AND
PLACES LIKE THAT, IT LEAVES
A SPECTER OF ALL KINDS
OF MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESSES
AND THREATS AND CHALLENGES
THAT WEREN'T THERE.
SO, AGAIN, THERE ARE A WHOLE
HOST OF THINGS THAT GO
WELL BEYOND SEA LEVEL RISE
THAT COME WITH
THE POSSIBILITY
OF GLOBAL WARMING
THAT WE ALL NEED TO BE
THINKING ABOUT.
♪♪
>> THE PRIMARY AND CERTAINLY
THE MOST VISIBLE IMPACT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE IS OUR RISING
WATERS, INCREASING FLOODING,
WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL
NUISANCE FLOODING
OR DRY-WEATHER FLOODING,
WHICH BASICALLY IS
A FUNCTION OF HIGHER
SEA LEVELS.
WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE
OVER THE PAST CENTURY
OF ALMOST A FOOT,
ABOUT AN INCH A DECADE.
AND WHAT WE ALSO NOW KNOW,
OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE
DECADES, IS THAT THAT RATE
IS ACCELERATING.
>> Keyserling: LET'S LOOK
AT THE REGULAR TIDES.
LET'S LOOK AT
THE KING TIDES.
LET'S LOOK OVER A PERIOD OF
TIME AT WHAT THE CHANGE WAS.
WITHIN A YEAR,
THE WATER ON MY DOCK
HAD RISEN 8 INCHES.
NOW, THERE COULD BE
A LOT OF REASONS.
IT COULD BE THAT MORE PEOPLE
BUILT DOCKS, THAT THE CREEK
ISN'T FLOWING.
DOES IT MATTER IF THERE'S
8 MORE INCHES THERE?
IF THERE'S 8 MORE INCHES
THERE AND WE HAVE
A KING TIDE,
THAT MEANS THERE'S GONNA BE
8 MORE INCHES
ON TOP OF THAT.
IF WE HAVE A STORM SURGE
OF 6 FEET,
THAT SIX FEET
IS NOT GONNA START HERE.
IT'S GONNA START HERE.
SO WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT 2, 3, 4 FEET,
WE'RE ADDING THAT TO
THE RAIN EVENTS, WHICH WE,
FOR WHATEVER REASON,
HAVE BEEN HAVING.
WE'RE ADDING THAT
TO THE STORM SURGE.
SO WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM THAT
IS AUTOMATICALLY GONNA BE
COMPOUNDED BY NATURE.
>> WE TRY STAY AWAY FROM THE
DISCUSSION OF WHAT'S CAUSING
CLIMATE CHANGE AND JUST SAY,
"LET'S LOOK AT THE REALITY
AND LOOK AT WHAT
THE RECORDS SHOW US."
AND IF YOU LOOK ON NOAA'S
WEBSITE, THEY'VE GOT
DOCUMENTATION FROM THE EARLY
1900s THAT SHOW THAT THE
TIDE HAS RISEN IN CHARLESTON
A LITTLE OVER A FOOT
EVERY HUNDRED YEARS,
AND WE EXPECT THAT TO
AT LEAST BE THE BASELINE
OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
>> Jackson: THE RESIDENTS
HERE ARE VERY FAMILIAR
WITH LOCALIZED FLOODING.
IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE
ALWAYS HAD TO DEAL WITH.
BORN AND RAISED IN SAVANNAH
AND CHATHAM COUNTY, AND
I'VE KNOWN IT EVER SINCE.
I'VE BEEN HERE
ALMOST 45 YEARS NOW.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE
FAMILIAR WITH, AND THEY
KNOW THAT IT AFFECTS
THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY.
SO WE SAY, OKAY,
IN YOUR LIFE,
YOU'VE SEEN AN IMPACT.
WE'RE NOW STARTING TO SEE
ROADS THAT, IN THE PAST,
HAVE NEVER FLOODED OVER
FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
WE'RE NOW SEEING THOSE
MORE AND MORE.
IN THE PAST, MAYBE ONCE,
MAYBE TWICE A YEAR.
NOW WE'RE SEEING THEM
EVERY OTHER MONTH,
MAJOR HIGHWAYS IMPASSABLE.
>> Gayes: HERE IN THE
COASTAL ZONE, WE HEAR A LOT
ON THE NEWS THAT THERE WILL
BE FLOODING IN THE USUAL
AREAS AT THE TIME OF HIGH
TIDE DURING THIS RAIN EVENT
BECAUSE THE WATER LEVEL'S
A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
AND I THINK, IF YOU'VE LIVED
ALONG THE COAST FOR A WHILE,
YOU MAY HAVE PERCEIVED OR
NOTICED THAT THESE THINGS
SEEM TO HAPPEN A LITTLE BIT
MORE FREQUENTLY OVER
A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
>> Sanford: PULL THE CHARTS.
THERE ARE FASCINATING CHARTS
THAT SHOW THE NUMBER
OF TIMES DOWNTOWN FLOODED
OVER THE LAST 100 YEARS
VERSUS OVER THE LAST,
LET'S SAY, 20 YEARS OR SO.
IT'S REMARKABLE, IT'S REAL,
AND THE FACT IS, IN PLACES
LIKE THE COAST OF SOUTH
CAROLINA, WE'RE SEEING,
IN REAL, VISIBLE,
AND TANGIBLE FORM,
RISING EFFECT OF SEA LEVEL,
AND, THEREFORE, IF YOU'RE
GONNA BUILD A ROAD, DON'T
BUILD IT WHERE IT'S GONNA
GET FLOODED EVERY COUPLE
OF YEARS.
MAYBE PUT A LITTLE MORE DIRT
UNDERNEATH, AND WOULDN'T
THAT SAVE MONEY OVER TIME?
>> Cabiness: AND I THINK
IT'S INTERESTING TO POINT
OUT, TOO, A LOT OF THESE
PROBLEMS HAPPENED BECAUSE
WE FILLED CREEK BEDS IN
OVER TIME.
LOCKWOOD BOULEVARD
WASN'T THERE UNTIL 1950.
IT BECAME AN IMPEDANCE THEN
FOR DRAINAGE INTERIOR TO THE
CITY, AND MANY OF THE AREAS
THAT YOU SEE IN THE CITY
THAT FLOOD SO BADLY,
LIKE FISHBURNE STREET
AND WENTWORTH STREET,
YOU CAN LITERALLY LAY OVER
THE OLD MAP OF THE CITY THAT
SHOWS WHERE THE CREEKS ARE,
AND THAT'S WHERE THE
FLOODING IS THE SEVEREST.
>> Keyserling: IF YOU GO TO
WHAT WE CALL THE POINT--
THE POINT IS SORT OF THE
WILLIAMSBURG OF BEAUFORT--
IT IS THE PRISTINELY,
TOTALLY GENTRIFIED
NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE PEOPLE
HAVE INVESTED TENS OF
THOUSANDS, IF NOT MILLIONS,
OF DOLLARS
OF FIXING UP OLD, IMPORTANT,
BEAUTIFUL ANTEBELLUM HOMES.
BUT A LOT OF THAT LAND WAS
BUILT ON FILL, AND A LOT OF
THAT LAND, YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT 12-14 INCHES
ABOVE SEA LEVEL,
AND OF COURSE THEY WERE
BUILT UP BACK THEN,
BUT THEY WEREN'T BUILT UP
TO FACE THE FUTURE.
>> WHEN WE SEE OUR STREETS
AND RIVERS OVERFLOWING
OVER TIME, THAT WILL PROMPT
THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,
THE COMMUNITY AWARENESS,
AND, IN FACT, THE NEED
FOR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT
WILL BE NEEDED TO PROTECT
OUR COMMUNITY LONG-TERM.
>> THE EXTREME WEATHER
PRECIPITATION EVENTS,
THE EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
THAT WE'RE HAVING,
IF YOU COUPLE THOSE WITH
THOSE EXTREME HIGH TIDES,
YOU COULD GO FROM WHAT WAS
A NUISANCE FLOODING EVENT
FIVE YEARS AGO
TO A FLASH FLOODING EVENT
TODAY, AND IT CAN HAPPEN
VERY QUICKLY.
>> WE'VE SEEN THE SEA LEVEL
RISING.
WE'VE GOT THE DOCUMENTATION,
THE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION
TO PROVE SOMETHING ALONG
THE LINES OF ABOUT A FOOT
OVER THE PAST 80-85 YEARS.
AND WHAT THAT'S DOING IS
IT'S INUNDATING SOME OF MY
ROADS ON REGULAR KING TIDES
AND EVEN ON
SOME SPRING TIDES
TO WHERE WE'RE SEEING 6, 8,
10, 12 INCHES OF WATER
ON THE ROADWAYS DURING THE
PERIOD OF THE HIGH TIDE,
AND WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT
WHERE WE'RE HAVING
TO CONDEMN HOUSES BECAUSE
WE CAN NO LONGER PROVIDE
EMERGENCY SERVICES
TO THOSE HOUSES.
>> Jackson: WITH THE MORE
RECENT HURRICANE MATTHEW,
WHETHER GOOD OR BAD, I THINK
THAT REALLY AWAKENED A LOT
OF FOLKS TO THE REALITY
OF WHAT FLOODING, CLIMATE
CHANGE, AND SEA LEVEL RISE
IMPACTS CAN HAVE
ON THE COASTAL COMMUNITY.
>> Gayes: ONE OF THE
PROJECTIONS FOR THE CHANGES
THAT WE'RE SEEING IN
THE GLOBAL CLIMATE IS MORE
INTENSE RAINFALL EVENTS,
AND I THINK ONE
CAN MAKE A CASE--
I'M NOT STATISTICALLY
ARGUING THIS AT THE MOMENT,
BUT JUST IN THE LAST FEW
YEARS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE
EVENT WE HAD HERE IN SOUTH
CAROLINA, KIND OF HISTORIC
FLOODING OF THIS FUNNELING
OF THE MOISTURE
IN THAT CORRIDOR
UP THROUGH COLUMBIA
AND THE AMOUNT
OF DEVASTATION THAT HAPPENED
IN THAT REGARD,
AND WE'VE SEEN THAT EVENT
AGAIN IN MARYLAND
AND THEN RECENTLY
LOUISIANA AND HOUSTON.
THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING,
AND THEY'RE HAPPENING MORE
FREQUENTLY, AND WE'RE NOT
REALLY PREPARED FOR THOSE
KINDS OF EVENTS BECAUSE
THEY'RE A CHANGE
FROM WHAT WE'RE USED TO.
♪♪
>> THE WIND AND CURRENTS
FROM HURRICANE MATTHEW WERE
GOING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH,
AND IT'S JUST REMARKABLE,
AS I EXPLORE THESE SMALL
ISLANDS AROUND HERE, HOW
MUCH DAMAGE WAS DONE, HOW
MUCH SHORELINE WAS ERODED,
AND HOW MUCH DEBRIS
WAS BLASTED
THROUGH THE REMAINING
MARITIME, LIVE OAK FOREST.
THAT WAS JUST
A MILD CATEGORY ONE,
MILD, GLANCING BLOW
HURRICANE.
A MAJOR HURRICANE
COMING ASHORE HERE--
THINK KATRINA.
THINK SANDY.
THINK MUCH GREATER
REARRANGEMENT
OF THE GEOGRAPHY.
>> WE KNOW WE HAD NORTH
TO NORTHEAST WINDS AT THE
STRONG POINTS OF MATTHEW
AS IT CAME UP ALONG HERE,
AND THIS AREA,
A LOT OF THIS AREA
AND TO THE EAST TOWARD THE
OCEAN WAS IN THE WESTERN
EDGE OF THE EYE WALL
OF MATTHEW AS IT CAME UP.
SO SOME OF THE STRONGEST
WINDS OF THE STORM OCCURRED
HERE, ALONG WITH SOME OF
THE HIGHEST TIDE LEVELS.
>> MY HUSBAND HAD A...
A 40-FOOT HUNTER SAILBOAT,
AND HE HAD IT
DOWN IN MIAMI FOR YEARS
AND KNEW THAT IT WASN'T
THE SAFEST PLACE DOWN THERE
TO HAVE IT
AND DECIDED TO DO
SOME RESEARCH ABOUT WHERE
WOULD BE A SAFER PLACE
ON THE COAST.
AND AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH
AND TALKING TO FRIENDS,
IT WAS EVIDENT THAT
DATAW ISLAND MARINA
WAS THE SAFEST PLACE
REGARDING HURRICANES
TO KEEP IT,
BUT OBVIOUSLY IT DIDN'T
WORK OUT TOO WELL FOR US
AS OF HURRICANE MATTHEW.
BUT, YEAH, OUR BOAT
IS HALF UNDERWATER
OVER THERE RIGHT NOW.
>> YOU CAN SEE BOATS THAT
WERE WASHED UP ON THE
BACKYARDS OF THESE HOUSES,
IN THE MARSH, AND
AS FAR AWAY AS THE AIRPORT,
WHICH I THINK IS
6, 7 MILES FROM HERE.
SO THEY'RE SCATTERED ALL UP
THE RIVER, AND SOME OF THEM
HAVE SANK WHERE THEY WERE.
>> Gaines: DURING MATTHEW,
WE LOST FIVE FACILITIES,
A CAMPGROUND,
A COUPLE OF RESTROOMS,
AND THE DECISION
AFTER MATTHEW IS THAT
THE CAMPGROUND THAT WAS
THE CLOSEST TO THE OCEAN,
WE HAVE ABANDONED
THAT CAMPGROUND.
AND WE HAVE
ANOTHER CAMPGROUND THAT'S
FURTHER BACK INLAND
THAT'S BETTER PROTECTED,
BUT WE WON'T REBUILD
THAT CAMPGROUND THAT'S
RIGHT ON THE OCEAN.
PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE
A CAMPGROUND RIGHT
ON THE OCEAN, BUT IT'S
REALLY NOT SUSTAINABLE.
>> Cadoff: WE HAD HURRICANE
MATTHEW IN OCTOBER OF 2016.
WE HAD A TORNADO RIP
THROUGH THE PARK IN MAY,
AND THEN WE'VE JUST DEALT
WITH HURRICANE IRMA COMING
THROUGH HERE AS WELL.
SO I THINK WE'RE STILL
TRYING TO GET OUR WITS
ABOUT OURSELVES AS TO
WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE
OVER THE PAST YEAR,
BECAUSE PRIOR TO THIS, THERE
ARE NUMBER OF INSTANCES,
BUT VERY FEW---
IN FACT FOLKS
HAVE ALWAYS TALKED
ABOUT THE GEORGIA BITE
AND HOW WE HAVE GENERALLY
BEEN PROTECTED.
NOW, AS INTERPRETERS AND
AS HISTORIANS HERE, WE KNOW
THAT IN THE 1880s AND 1890s
THIS AREA WAS HEAVILY
IMPACTED BY HURRICANE
ACTIVITY THAT, IN FACT, PUT
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WATER
INSIDE THE FORT ITSELF.
SO THE FORT IS NOT NEW
TO EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
HOWEVER, AS WE HAVE MORE,
THE SITUATIONS AROUND US,
WHETHER IT'S SEA LEVEL RISE,
WHETHER IT'S THE DEGRADATION
OF THE MARSHLAND AROUND
COCKSPUR ISLAND AND ALONG
THE GEORGIA COASTLINE,
AS WELL AS HIGHER
STORM SURGES,
WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE
IMPACT, AND WE WILL SEE
A LOT MORE IMPACT
AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
>> HUNTING ISLAND STATE PARK
WAS IMPACTED GREATLY
BY HURRICANE IRMA.
IT DID A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT DAMAGE
THAN HURRICANE MATTHEW DID.
WITH THE FIRST STORM, WE HAD
A LOT OF TREE DAMAGE.
WITH THIS STORM, WE HAD
SIGNIFICANT FLOOD DAMAGE
THROUGHOUT THE PARK,
AND THAT SALT WATER
CAME UP SO HIGH
WITH THE STORM SURGE
THAT IT GOT INTO A LOT
OF OUR UTILITIES, OUR POWER
PEDESTALS IN THE CAMPGROUND,
OUR SEWER SYSTEMS.
ALL THAT STUFF WAS
IMPACTED GREATLY BY IT.
>> Baxley: THE WIND WAS
BLOWING ON IRMA FROM THE
NORTHEAST, SO IT'S PUSHING
THE MORGAN RIVER BACK UP
ACROSS THE RUNWAY, WHICH IS
DIRECTLY BEHIND ME,
AND THEN HIGHWAY 21,
WHICH IS OFF TO MY RIGHT
HERE RUNNING NORTH-SOUTH.
ABOUT 3 FEET OF STORM SURGE
WENT ACROSS HIGHWAY 21,
SO IT WAS COMPLETELY BLOCKED
IN THIS LOCATION, ALONG WITH
A NUMBER OF OTHERS.
THE RUNWAY WAS COMPLETELY
SUBMERGED, AND HOUSES ACROSS
THE HIGHWAY THAT FACED
A STORM SURGE PROBLEM
IN MATTHEW
FACED IT AGAIN IN IRMA.
IN FACT, THERE'S ONE
INDIVIDUAL OVER THERE
WHO HAD JUST MOVED BACK INTO
HIS HOUSE LAST WEEK AFTER
DOING A FULL REMODELING
FROM THE MATTHEW DAMAGE.
HIS APPLIANCES ARE STILL
IN THE CARDBOARD BOXES
WHEN IRMA SURGE CAME IN,
AND IT'S ALL RUINED AGAIN.
>> Sanford: WE JUST GOT HIT
BY THIS LATEST STORM, AND WE
SAW A LEVEL OF FLOODING THAT
WE'VE NEVER BEFORE SEEN
AT OUR FAMILY FARM, EVER.
LITERALLY, THE STORM SURGE
PICKED UP A--
WE HAVE ONE BRIDGE THAT GOES
INTO A TIMBER TRACT--
PICKED THE BRIDGE UP OFF
THE PILINGS, MOVED IT ABOUT
50 YARDS OFF OF THE MARSH,
AND SET IT BACK DOWN.
YOU'RE LIKE,
OH, MY GOODNESS, THAT'S
ANOTHER WEEKEND PROJECT!
>> Cadoff: WE'VE BEEN VERY
RESILIENT AS WE RECOVER FROM
EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN
THROWN AT US, BUT IT TRULY
IS HEARTBREAKING TO SEE ALL
THIS HAPPEN, TO HAVE TO COME
BACK IN HERE AND RECOVER,
AND IF WE SEE AN UPTICK
IN ACTIVITY AND WE HAVE TO
CONTINUALLY DO THIS, IT KIND
OF JUST REALLY BEATS ON YOU,
THINKING OF WHAT THE FUTURE
REALLY MEANS FOR FORT
PULASKI, WHAT LIES AHEAD.
AND IT'S SOMETHING
THAT I'M STILL TRYING
TO GRAPPLE WITH.
♪♪
>> Jeffcoat: OUR $20-BILLION
TOURISM INDUSTRY
IS AT RISK, AND WHEN
THE BANKS REALIZE THAT
THE OCEAN LEVEL IS RISING
AND THE OCEANFRONT
PROPERTIES ARE GONNA BE
UNDERWATER IN 100 YEARS,
PRETTY SOON THEY'RE
GONNA START LOOKING--
MAYBE 50 YEARS FROM NOW,
THEY'RE GONNA QUIT LENDING
ON THE BEACH.
INSURANCE COMPANIES
ARE GONNA QUIT INSURING
ON THE BEACH.
AND SO RATHER THAN WAITING
FOR THAT DAY TO HAPPEN,
LET'S TRY TO BE PROACTIVE
AND SEE HOW WE'RE GONNA
CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT
SO WE KEEP OUR
TOURIST ECONOMY STRONG.
>> Jackson: A HUGE PART
OF OUR ECONOMIC DRIVER
IN CHATHAM COUNTY IS
OUR HISTORIC RESOURCES,
THROUGH THE TOURISM.
WE'RE A HUGE
TOURISM COMMUNITY.
BUT TO ENSURE THAT
WE ARE BASICALLY TAKING
INTO ACCOUNT THE ECONOMIC
STABILITY, WE ALSO HAVE
TO ENSURE THAT OUR NATURAL,
HISTORIC RESOURCES AND ALL
THE WONDERFUL RESOURCES
THAT WE HAVE AROUND US
ARE ALSO TAKEN CARE OF.
SO IT GOES VERY MUCH
HAND IN HAND.
>> Cadoff: FORT PULASKI
RELIES ON THE FEE REVENUE
THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GENERATE
AT OUR ENTRANCE STATION.
AND WHILE WE'RE STILL GOING
TO SEE THE EFFECTS OVER
THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS
FROM THIS PAST YEAR,
WE WERE CLOSED FOR A TOTAL
OF THREE MONTHS WITH
THESE THREE INCIDENTS.
SO THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT
HOW WE OPERATE, WHETHER IT'S
OUR HOURS, WHO WE'RE ABLE
TO HIRE, AND WHAT KIND
OF PROGRAMS WE'RE ABLE
TO PROVIDE TO
OUR VISITING PUBLIC.
>> Gaines: OVER $80 BILLION
ARE GENERATED THROUGH
TOURISM IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
$790 MILLION IN LOCAL AND
STATE TAXES ARE PAID BECAUSE
OF THE TOURISM ECONOMY.
THAT GENERATES A LOT OF JOBS
FOR PEOPLE, AND IT IMPACTS
ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
SO WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS,
WE NOW HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS
AND COGNIZANT OF THE FACT
THAT WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS
THAT IMPACT PEOPLE
OUTSIDE OF THE GATES.
>> CLIMATE CHANGE HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO WREAK SO MUCH
HAVOC ON THE VELOCITY
OF CAPITAL THAT'S FOUND
WITHIN A COMMUNITY--
WHICH WE'RE TALKING
TO ECONOMICS HERE--
THAT IT WILL DECREASE IT
TO SUCH A LEVEL
THAT THAT COMMUNITY
JUST CANNOT COME BACK.
IT'S ON THE PRECIPICE.
IF IT GOES
OVER THE PRECIPICE,
IT CANNOT COME BACK.
THAT IS A SEVERE EXAMPLE,
BUT IT CAN HAPPEN.
THE FIRST COMMUNITY IN THE
UNITED STATES THAT ACTUALLY
HAD TO BE MOVED BECAUSE
OF CLIMATE CHANGE WAS
IN LOUISIANA LAST YEAR.
THEY HAD TO MOVE
THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S AT ONE END
OF THE SPECTRUM.
IF YOU GO TO THE OTHER END
OF THE SPECTRUM--
TAKE A CITY LIKE CHARLESTON.
IN THE '70s, CHARLESTON
GOT FLOODED, ON AVERAGE,
FOUR TIMES A YEAR.
LAST YEAR, IT WAS 34 TIMES:
34 DAYS OF BUSINESS
INTERRUPTION, POTENTIALLY
34 DAYS OF SUPPLY CHAIN
INTERRUPTION, 34 DAYS OF
POTENTIAL LACK OF REVENUES
FROM TOURISM.
THE RESULTANT FACT OF THAT
CAN BE INSURANCE PREMIUMS
GOING UP, THE COST
OF BUSINESS GOING UP.
SO ANYTIME YOU HAVE
DECREASES IN REVENUES
AND INCREASES IN EXPENSES
GENERALLY NOT GOOD.
>> SINCE TOURISM IS
THE NUMBER ONE INDUSTRY
IN OUR STATE--AND
ESPECIALLY IN CHARLESTON,
YOU CAN SEE THAT--
THEN THE RESTAURANTS
ARE VERY MUCH BENEFITED BY
THE SEAFOOD BEING AVAILABLE
HERE, AND I THINK THAT
BENEFITS THE MEN THAT GO OUT
AND FIX THE ICE MACHINES,
THE MEN THAT SERVICE THE
TRAWLERS WITH THEIR FUEL
AND THEIR ICE, AND IT ALSO
SERVICES THE PEOPLE THAT
GO OUT AND CATCH THE FISH
AND CATCH THE SHRIMP.
AND SO IT'S A BIG PART
OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA
AND ESPECIALLY
THE LOWCOUNTRY ECONOMY.
>> LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS
ARE AT STATE.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
THE FISHING INDUSTRY,
FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE LOSE
THIS BARRIER PROTECTION OF
OUR SALT MARSHES, THE SALT
MARSHES THEMSELVES ARE
NURSERIES FOR ALL MANNER
OF SPECIES THAT SUSTAIN
THE FISHING COMMUNITY
AND SUSTAIN HUMAN HEALTH
AND CONSUMPTION.
>> FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY,
FISHERIES ARE WORTH
$200 BILLION AND EMPLOY
1.7 MILLION PEOPLE.
SO WHEN THESE FISHERIES
START TO CHANGE AND MOVE OUT
OF THE REGION AND TAKE THAT
ECONOMIC IMPACT WITH THEM,
IT AFFECTS OUR LOCAL
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
INVOLVED AND NOT JUST
THE FISHERMEN, BUT THE
RESTAURANT TRADE, TOURISM,
AND OTHER ASPECTS AS WELL.
♪♪
FISH DO HAVE TEMPERATURE
PREFERENCES, AND IF
THE WATER'S TOO WARM OR
TOO COLD, THEY'LL JUST MOVE.
AND SO WE SEE IN
THE SOUTHEAST, FOR EXAMPLE,
WE SEE MANY FISH MOVING
FARTHER NORTH BECAUSE THEIR
TEMPERATURE PREFERENCE
IS NOW FARTHER NORTH.
SO FISH THAT SUPPORTED
IMPORTANT FISHERIES OR STILL
SUPPORT IMPORTANT FISHERIES
OFF OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
THINGS LIKE
BLUELINE TILEFISH,
ARE NOW SUPPORTING FISHERIES
OFF OF VIRGINIA AND DELAWARE
AND NEW JERSEY,
AND THINGS LIKE BLACK
SEA BASS THAT SUPPORTED
FISHERY OFF SOUTH CAROLINA
ARE NOW SUPPORTING A FISHERY
IN THE GULF OF MAINE.
SO THE FISH ARE MOVING NORTH
TO FIND THE TEMPERATURE
THAT THEY PREFER.
>> Gilligan: THE BEST
PREDICTOR OF THE
DISTRIBUTION OF MARINE LIFE,
THINGS THAT LIVE
IN THE OCEAN, ARE
TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY.
AS OUR COAST GETS WARMER
AND SALTIER, WE'RE GONNA
SEE CHANGES IN THE ABUNDANCE
AND DISTRIBUTION OF THINGS.
SOME THINGS WILL GET LESS
ABUNDANT, AND SOME THINGS
WILL GET MORE ABUNDANT.
WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME
THINGS WE HADN'T SEEN HERE
BEFORE, AND WE MAY EVEN
LOSE SOME THINGS.
IF WE LOSE SALT MARSHES
BECAUSE WE DON'T ALLOW THEM
TO MIGRATE UPLAND BECAUSE
WE'VE BUILT THOSE UP
AND OUR SALT MARSHES GET
SMALLER AND SMALLER, THEN
THE HABITAT WHICH IS NURSERY
FOR THE LARVAL STAGES
OF MARINE LIFE
GETS SMALLER AND SMALLER.
AND IT ONLY MAKES SENSE,
AS YOU DECREASE THE HABITAT
OF A NURSERY, YOU'RE GONNA
DECREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY
IN FISHERIES.
>> WE'VE SORT OF DRAWN LINES
OR DRAWN BARRIERS AND SAID,
NO, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE THE TITLE TO
THIS PROPERTY, AND WE'RE NOT
MOVING, OR WE'RE NOT GONNA
ALLOW THE NATURAL
PROGRESSION OF THE MARSHES
OR THE OYSTER REEFS
TO KIND OF MOVE INLAND.
SO THAT'S A PARTICULARLY
DIFFICULT THING
TO DEAL WITH,
IS HOW DO WE ACCOMMODATE
THE NATURAL MOVEMENT
OF ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEMS.
IF WE'RE GONNA SAY, NO,
WE'RE GONNA DRAW A LINE HERE
AND NOT ALLOW IT TO MOVE,
THAT'S--I GUESS THAT'S WHAT
I CALL THE SEA LEVEL RISE
CONUNDRUM FOR US, IS JUST
HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THAT
AS A SOCIETY AND HOW DO WE
ACCOMMODATE WHAT MAY NEED
TO HAPPEN TO PRESERVE
OUR ESTUARINE HABITATS,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME
BE RESPECTFUL OF PERSONAL
RIGHTS AND THINGS.
>> Fitch: WE'VE GIVEN SOME
THOUGHT TO THE CHANGES IN
THE SALINITY AND THE CHANGES
OF LEVELS BECAUSE WE'RE
LOOKING OTHER PLACES TO SEE
WHO'S ABLE TO PRODUCE
PRODUCT THAT MAYBE
IS NOT PRODUCED HERE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRODUCT.
WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE
IN THE '70s, THIS WAS A SPOT
AND CROAKER AND FLOUNDER
AND WHITING BUSINESS.
NOW IT'S A TRIGGERFISH,
TUNA, GROUPER, SALMON.
IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF
FISH THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN.
>> PEOPLE ARE VERY FAMILIAR
WITH GROUPER, PEOPLE ARE
VERY FAMILIAR WITH SNAPPER,
AND ALTERNATIVES TO THAT
LOCALLY WOULD BE TRIGGERFISH
INSTEAD OF SNAPPER
OR TILEFISH INSTEAD
OF GROUPER.
THOSE FISH ARE
ABUNDANT AND DELICIOUS.
WHEN I TALK TO FISHERMEN,
WHEN I TALK TO FARMERS,
I'M JUST BLOWN AWAY
AT THE AMOUNT OF RISK
THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE.
EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT, AND
AT ANY MOMENT, THEY'RE GONNA
HAVE TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT,
AND YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING,
AS A CHEF, TO MAKE
THAT ADJUSTMENT WITH THEM
AND TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT
AND GO A DIFFERENT PATH.
>> WE ARE HEARING THAT
SHRIMP ARE BEING FOUND IN
THE CHESAPEAKE, WHERE THAT
NEVER HAS HAPPENED BEFORE.
ALONG WITH THE CHANGING,
ABUNDANT TIMES THAT WE ARE
SEEING, IT SEEMS LIKE--
AND I'M NOT A SCIENTIST--
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THINGS
ARE MOVING NORTHWARD.
WHAT IS VERY DIFFERENT
IS THE SUMMER CATCHES
HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY
DIMINISHED.
THIS LAST YEAR,
WE HAD ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS
OF VIRTUALLY NO SHRIMP,
AND THAT WAS NOT JUST US.
IT WAS ALL ALONG THE COAST.
SO WE THINK IT IS BECAUSE
THE WATER TEMPERATURE
WAS SEVERAL DEGREES
ABOVE HISTORIC LEVELS,
AND THAT, WE KNOW,
AFFECTS SHRIMP.
>> Smalls: WE HAVE TO CLOSE
OUR OYSTER BEDS SOMETIMES.
GULLAH PEOPLE CALL IT
"OSSTUH."
SO WE HAVE TO CLOSE
OUR OSSTUH BEDS SOMETIMES
BECAUSE OF CONTAMINATION
OF THE RUNOFF.
OUR FISHERMEN ARE ALSO
AFFECTED BY THIS BECAUSE OF
THE OYSTERS, BECAUSE OF THE
CLOSING OF CERTAIN RIVERS
AND CREEKS IN THIS AREA.
IT'S A HUGE IMPACT
BECAUSE THIS IS
THE GULLAH WAY OF LIFE.
♪♪
>> McClain: SO THE CULTURE,
THE RITUALS, THE VERY FABRIC
THAT COASTAL PEOPLE LIVE
EVERY DAY, THE SHRIMPING,
ALL OF THAT WILL BE
THREATENED IF WE DON'T DO
SOMETHING ABOUT GLOBAL
WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> Smalls: THIS IS
THE EMBARKATION SITE
OF THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
THAT WERE ENSLAVED
COMING FROM WEST
AND CENTRAL AFRICA.
EVEN LIKE THE CHARLESTON
WHARF, GADSDEN'S WHARF,
PEOPLE COMING
INTO THAT LOCATION
AND THEN BEING SENT
TO DIFFERENT PLANTATIONS
THROUGHOUT SOUTH CAROLINA
AND HERE IN THE LOWCOUNTRY
ESPECIALLY, THIS IS THE
PLACE WHERE WE WERE BROUGHT
IN, WEST AFRICANS AND GULLAH
PEOPLE WERE BROUGHT IN,
BECAUSE OF OUR KNOWLEDGE
OF GROWING, CULTIVATING,
AND HARVESTING RICE
IN WEST AFRICA.
THE MATERIALS THAT WE
HAVE TO GET TO BE ABLE
TO MAKE THE COILED
SWEETGRASS BASKETS
ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE
MATERIALS THAT WE HAD TO GET
IN WEST AFRICA TO MAKE THE
SWEETGRASS BASKETS THERE:
THE SWEETGRASS,
THE BULRUSH,
AND THE PALMETTO.
>> Dingle: THIS IS A PART
OF OUR HERITAGE.
THESE BASKETS
WERE BEING MADE
EVER SINCE THEY BROUGHT
MY ANCESTORS OVER.
THEY MADE IT AND USED IT
FOR UTILITARY WORK.
AND DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS,
WE STARTED MAKING FUNCTIONAL
BASKETS WHEREIN YOU USE
IN YOUR HOME.
>> I WAS TAUGHT THIS ART BY
MOM AND MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER
OVER 49 YEARS AGO.
I CAN SAY FOR THE BULRUSH,
WHICH GROWS RIGHT AT
THE EDGE OF THE MARSH WATER,
THAT MAY COME INTO PLAY
BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO OUT
WITH THEIR LITTLE BOOTS ON,
AND THAT'S DOING AWAY
WITH THE TIDES AND SO FORTH.
THAT TAKES CARE
OF THE BULRUSH.
AND THEN THE SWEETGRASS,
THAT'S FOUND MORE
ON DRY LAND.
IT'S NEAR THE WATER,
BUT ON WATERFRONT PROPERTY,
AND WITH THAT BEACH EROSION
AND SO FORTH, WHEN
IT DOES AWAY WITH THAT,
THERE GOES THE SWEETGRASS.
>> CULTURALLY, WE NEED TO BE
MORE AWARE OF THAT.
YOU STILL HAVE PEOPLE HERE
WHO FARM,
PEOPLE WHO...
YOU KNOW, FISHING
AND SHRIMPING AND ALL
THE THINGS CULTURALLY
THAT HELPS THEM TO PROVIDE
FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
>> THERE IS A VERY CLOSE
AND INTIMATE CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE PEOPLE
AND THE LAND.
IT'S NOT SIMPLY CULTURE
AS A WAY OF LIFE.
IT'S CULTURE AS SURVIVAL
AND AS FUTURE VISION
SO THAT YOU WALK THE LAND,
YOU TREAD THE WATERS,
AND YOU UNDERSTAND
THAT THERE IS YOUR LIFE.
>> Smalls: THE ONE THING
I'M AFRAID OF LOSING
IS THAT LAND.
THAT LAND IS THE FOUNDATION
OF EVERYTHING.
THAT LAND IS OUR FOUNDATION.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT
LOSING THE LAND.
>> Sanford: SO THE QUESTIONS
ARE WINNERS AND LOSERS
NOT JUST IN TERMS OF
INDIVIDUALS, BUT SOME OF
THE SPECIAL SPOTS THAT,
IN ESSENCE, CREATE
THE FABRIC AND TEXTURE
FOR THE SOCIETY WE LIVE IN,
I THINK THAT THEY
COULD BE HARDEST HIT.
I WAS DOWN AT PENN CENTER
THE OTHER DAY,
AND IT'S A MONUMENT TO
AN INCREDIBLE PERIOD OF TIME
IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY.
IT'S A MONUMENT TO THE END
OF ONE ERA AND THE BEGINNING
OF ANOTHER.
AND YET PLACES LIKE THAT
WOULD BE VERY MUCH
THREATENED.
SO, YEAH, THERE'S
AN INCREDIBLE THREAT
TO SOME OF THE FABRIC
OF WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE,
AND THE SAYING IS, IF YOU
DON'T LEARN FROM THE PAST,
YOUR DESTINED TO REPEAT IT.
PART OF LEARNING ABOUT YOUR
PAST IS ACTUALLY BEING ABLE
TO WALK AND SEE IT:
OH, YEAH, THIS IS HOW THIS
HAPPENED, AND THIS IS
WHY THIS HAPPENED.
>> Cadoff: IN 100 YEARS,
THOUGH, I'M NOT SURE
WHAT IT'S GONNA BE.
THE FORT'S GONNA BE HERE.
I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND.
I MEAN, THIS IS
A WELL-ENGINEERED AND
WELL-CONSTRUCTED FORT THAT,
EVEN IF THERE'S 5 FEET
OF WATER AND IT'S AN ISLAND,
IT WILL BE HERE.
BUT WHILE THE FORT MIGHT BE
HERE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO
CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE TELL
THE STORY BECAUSE IT MAY BE
SURROUNDED BY WATER.
THERE MAY BE IMPACTS
THAT VISITORS
CAN'T COME OUT HERE
AND THAT WE MIGHT BE DOING
PROGRAMS ONLINE, VIRTUAL
REALITY PROGRAMS OR WHATEVER
THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY
IS IN 100 YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THEY MAY NOT
ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO STAND
OUT HERE AS WE ARE TODAY.
>> McMillan: IF YOU FOLLOW
THE NEWS OR SOCIAL MEDIA
AT ALL, YOU CAN'T MISS
THE DISCOURSE.
THE DEBATE ON AN
INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL,
AND EVEN THE LOCAL LEVEL
CAN BE BITTERLY DIVISIVE.
♪♪
>> George: I BELIEVE
THAT WHAT HAS POLARIZED
THE ISSUE--
AND I THINK IT WAS
AN UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCE--
WAS WHEN VICE PRESIDENT
AL GORE MADE THE PIECE
"INCONVENIENT TRUTH."
I THINK WHAT IT DID,
BECAUSE OF HIS ALIGNMENT
AND AFFILIATION
AND BECAUSE OF THE TIME
IN HISTORY WHERE
WE WERE POLITICALLY,
IT ALL OF A SUDDEN FRAMED
THE TOPIC AS A DEMOCRATIC
PROPAGANDA ISSUE.
>> Jeffcoat: I WOULD SAY,
FROM A POLITICAL STANDPOINT,
IT'S NOT SO MUCH A LACK OF
AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
AS A DENIAL OF THE SCIENCE.
WE'RE IN A VERY REPUBLICAN
AREA, AND REPEATEDLY, PEOPLE
ARE HEARING, "CLIMATE CHANGE
IS NOT HAPPENING;
IT'S ALL A FIGMENT OF THE
DEMOCRATS' IMAGINATION."
SO IT'S VERY CHALLENGING IN
THIS AREA FOR POLITICIANS TO
STAND UP AND SAY, LET'S LOOK
AT THE DATA, AND LET'S
ASSUME THAT PERHAPS
IT MIGHT HAPPEN,
AND IF THAT HAPPENS,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN
FOR OUR COMMUNITY?
>> Brenner: THIS HAS
BECOME--WE HEAR IT
ON THE NEWS--
A POLITICAL ISSUE.
BUT I THINK WE CAN GET AWAY
FROM THE POLITICS IF WE JUST
FOCUS ON FACTS AND LEAVE
THE POLITICS ASIDE
BECAUSE THE FACT THAT
TEMPERATURE IS RISING,
THAT'S NOT UNDER DISPUTE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO ARGUE
ABOUT THE POLITICS
OF WHO'S CAUSING IT.
IS IT MY CAR, WHICH NEEDS
A TUNE-UP AND I'M SPEWING
A LOT OF GAS OUT THE BACK,
OR YOUR CAR, OR DON'T WE
HAVE ENOUGH ELECTRIC CARS
OR WHATNOT?
IS IT MAN-MADE OR NOT?
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT NEED
TO BE INVESTIGATED FOR SURE,
BUT THE FACT OF GLOBAL
WARMING IS NOT A MATTER
OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION.
THAT'S A MATTER OF
SCIENTIFIC OBSERVATION.
>> Beach: THIS IS
SUCH A COMPLICATED
AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY,
POLITICIZED ARGUMENT
THAT IT BECOMES
DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO GET
PAST THE IDEOLOGY OR THE
POLITICAL AFFILIATION THAT
THEY FEEL THEY'RE MAKING
WHEN THEY SAY CLIMATE CHANGE
IS OR ISN'T CAUSING
A CERTAIN THING.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT
WHAT IS UNDENIABLE HERE,
WHAT IS UNDENIABLE,
IS THAT SEA LEVEL HAS RISEN
AND IT IS RISING
FASTER THAN IT WAS.
>> Sanford: THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER OR NOT THIS ISSUE'S
REALLY ON PEOPLE'S RADAR
SCREEN, I WOULD SAY
INCREASINGLY IT IS.
IF YOU WERE TO TALK
TO CARLOS TRUJILLO, WHO
REPRESENTS A PIECE OF MIAMI,
WHAT HE TELLS ME IS THAT
PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT
IN WAYS THAT THEY NEVER HAVE
BEFORE, PARTICULARLY GIVEN
THE FACT THAT HIS DISTRICT
GOES DOWN TO THE KEYS,
AND OLD-TIMERS THERE ARE
SAYING WE'RE SEEING THINGS
WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
I USED TO HAVE THIS DEBATE
WITH A GUY NAMED TOM COBURN,
WHO REPRESENTED
A PIECE OF OKLAHOMA.
I'D SAY, "WHAT'S GLOBAL
WARMING MEAN TO YOU?
I MEAN, FRANKLY, YOU'RE
AT A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET
OF ELEVATION.
YOUR CLIMATE REALLY
ISN'T THE GREATEST,
NOTHING AGAINST OKLAHOMA.
WHAT DO YOU CARE?"
BUT IF YOU GO TO PLACES
WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY
RETIRE, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE
THE COASTAL REGIONS
OF THIS COUNTRY,
WE'RE REACHING SOMETHING
OF A TIPPING POINT
GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
THAT ARE COMING
TO PLACES LIKE FLORIDA
OR THE COAST OF TEXAS
OR THE COAST OF
SOUTH CAROLINA OR GEORGIA.
>> Gilligan: GOVERNMENT
AND LEADERSHIP ARE ELECTED
BY THE PEOPLE, AND IF
THE PEOPLE ARE EDUCATED
AND UNDERSTAND AND ARE
SMART, THEY WILL ELECT
PEOPLE WHO ARE RATIONAL
AND LOOK AT THE FACTS AND
MAKE RATIONAL DECISIONS.
>> Jeffcoat: WE HAVE TO LOOK
FOR LEADERS WHO HAVE VISION
AND LEADERS WHO ARE WILLING
TO TAKE A RISK
AND LEADERS WHO ARE WILLING
TO SAY, "I DON'T CARE IF
I LOSE; THIS IS IMPORTANT
ENOUGH FOR US TO FIGHT."
>> Sanford: WE HAVE
A POLITICAL SYSTEM
THAT IS DESIGNED TO REACT,
NOT TO ANTICIPATE,
AND AT TIMES, WE ALL WISH
FOR, "I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE,
THAT ISSUE."
BUT FUNDAMENTALLY, WHAT
THE FOUNDING FATHERS SET UP
WAS A SYSTEM THAT REACTS TO
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE,
AND THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT
EMERGING CONSENSUS WITH
PEOPLE THAT ARE INCREASINGLY
LIVING ALONG THE COAST
IS GONNA MATTER
IN THE DEBATE THAT'S
GONNA COME BEFORE US
BECAUSE, ONE, THOSE PEOPLE
DIDN'T LIVE THERE
100 YEARS AGO.
WE HAD CONCENTRATIONS
IN PLACES LIKE NEW YORK
OR CHICAGO OR L.A.,
BUT NOT SO MUCH IN TOWNS
AND HAMLETS SCATTERED
ALONG OUR COASTAL AREAS.
AND SO I'D SAY IT'S
DIFFICULT BECAUSE CHANGE IS
HARD AND THERE HASN'T BEEN
THE LEVEL OF VOTE COUNT,
OF VOICE, NECESSARY TO
PROPEL SOME OF THOSE IDEAS.
>> Brenner: WHENEVER WE HAVE
A REAL OR SOMETIMES
PERCEIVED HEALTH THREAT IN
THIS COUNTRY, IT'S NOT ONLY
THE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS
WHO ARE CONCERNED AND THE
PUBLIC, BUT THIS BECOMES
THEN SOMETHING THAT
DECISION MAKERS AND/OR
POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES
HAVE TO CONSIDER AS WELL.
AND FOR STATE OR COUNTY
OFFICIALS TO DO
WHAT THEY NEED TO DO
DOES REQUIRE RESOURCES.
>> Sanford: I GUESS IT WAS
CHURCHILL WHO ONCE OBSERVED
THE BEAUTY OF THE AMERICAN
POLITICAL SYSTEM
IS THAT IT ALWAYS DOES
THE RIGHT THING, COMMA,
AFTER IT'S EXHAUSTED EVERY
OTHER POSSIBLE REMEDY.
AND SO THERE IS A DEGREE,
WHETHER IN OUR PERSONAL
LIVES, WHETHER IN THE BODY
POLITIC AS A REFLECTION
OF PERSONAL OPINION
WHEREIN WE HOPE FOR THE BEST
AND, UNTIL SOMETHING SORT OF
HITS US IN THE FACE,
WE DON'T DEAL WITH IT.
WE HAVE A WAY
OF PROCRASTINATING,
PARTICULARLY WITH BIG ISSUES
BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD.
>> Williams: AND WE CAN
ALWAYS HAVE POLICY DISPUTES.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO AGREE ON
DIFFERENT POLICIES, WHETHER
YOU'RE ON THE REPUBLICAN
SIDE OF THE AISLE
OR THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE
OF THE AISLE.
WHAT WE SHOULD AGREE UPON,
THOUGH, IS TRANSPARENCY,
TRUTHFULNESS,
AND ACCOUNTABILITY
AT THE POLITICAL LEVEL.
>> Baxley: EVERYBODY TALKS
ABOUT TRANSPARENCY,
AND IT'S A REALLY CATCHY
BUZZWORD.
YOU'VE GOT
TO REALLY PRACTICE IT.
GOVERNMENT CANNOT
DEVILIFY ITSELF.
WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE FOLKS
COME IN AND GET TO KNOW US
AND THEN REBUILD
THAT TRUST WITH THEM
FROM OUR STANDPOINT.
>> I THINK WE HAVE
TO BE WILLING TO HAVE
HONEST CONVERSATIONS
WITH ONE ANOTHER,
AND A CONVERSATION
IS A TWO-WAY STREET.
YES, WE CAN EXPRESS
OUR POINT OF VIEW,
BUT IT'S EQUALLY OR MAYBE
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
FOR US TO LISTEN.
WE'VE GOT TWO EARS
AND ONE MOUTH,
AND IF WE WOULD DO MORE
LISTENING AND THEN THINKING
ABOUT THE POINTS OF VIEWS
OF OTHER PEOPLE, I THINK
WE CAN ELIMINATE A LOT OF
THE POLITICAL CONTROVERSY
THAT WE SEEM TO BE
RUNNING UP AGAINST.
>> Sanford: BIG ISSUES
REQUIRE LEADERSHIP,
AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
CHIEFS IN THE AMERICAN
SOCIETY.
THAT'S THE WAY
OUR SOCIETY WORKS.
EVERYBODY'S A CHIEF.
THERE ARE NO INDIANS.
AND YET FOR BIG ISSUES
TO GET SOLVED, IT REQUIRES
A DEGREE OF UNIFICATION,
A DEGREE OF CONSENSUS
THAT COMES WITH NATIONAL
LEADERS DRIVING A STAKE IN
THE GROUND AND SAYING, THIS
I BELIEVE TO BE TRUE NORTH.
AND THEN PEOPLE
WILL REACT TO IT.
THEY'LL REACT FOR IT
AND AGAINST IT, BUT IT
CAUSES CERTAIN LINES TO
FORM, AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE
A DEBATE ABOUT WHERE
THAT LINE OUGHT TO GO.
WE DON'T YET HAVE NATIONAL
LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
IT'S WHY I WENT
ON THE GIBSON RESOLUTION.
THERE ARE, I GUESS,
ONLY 20 REPUBLICANS
THAT HAVE DONE SO.
BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED
TO STEP OUT AND SAY,
IN WHATEVER FORM WE HOLD,
THIS IS A PROBLEM.
ULTIMATELY, IT WILL TAKE--
FOR US TO GET REAL CONSENSUS
IN TERMS OF FEDERAL,
STATE, AND LOCAL--
IT WILL REQUIRE LEADERSHIP
AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL.
>> McMillan: LOCAL
COMMUNITIES ALONG
OUR COASTLINE
ARE NOT STANDING STILL.
IN NEW YORK, WHERE
SUPERSTORM SANDY EXPOSED
MUCH VULNERABILITY, THEY ARE
INVESTING NEARLY 3 BILLION
TO BUILD A WALL
IN LOWER MANHATTAN.
IN MIAMI BEACH ALONE,
A NEARLY $600-MILLION
MITIGATION EFFORT
IS UNDERWAY.
ALL ALONG THE EASTERN
SEABOARD, THE GULF,
AND PACIFIC COASTS,
LOCAL RESPONSES ARE
ESSENTIAL TO CONFRONT
A CHANGING CLIMATE.
♪♪
>> Sanford: WE NEED TO THINK
ABOUT THE MODEL.
RIGHT NOW WE WILL PAY
A BUNCH OF MONEY
FOR DISASTER RELIEF,
BUT REALLY WE DON'T PUT
THAT MUCH MONEY INTO
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.
AND SO I THINK THERE ARE
BEGINNINGS OF CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT HOW DO YOUR REORDER
PUBLIC POLICY GIVEN THE
INTENSITY AND FREQUENCY OF
STORMS LATELY, HOW DO WE DO
MORE NOT JUST TO REACT TO
THEM, BUT TO BE PREPARED
FOR THEM.
>> Tecklenburg: SO YOU LOOK
AT YOUR POLICIES
OF DEVELOPMENT
AND REDEVELOPMENT
SO WHEN EVEN A HISTORIC
STRUCTURE IS RENOVATED,
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT WHERE
THAT BASE FLOOR ELEVATION
NEEDS TO BE--
AND PROPERTIES THAT WERE
BUILT IN THE WRONG PLACE,
ONE MITIGATION MAY BE
THAT WE HAVE TO PURCHASE
SOME OF THOSE PROPERTIES,
AND WE'RE APPLYING
FOR GRANTS TO DO THAT.
SO IT'S A COMBINATION
OF PLANNING POLICY
AND BUILDING CODES
TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE.
>> ULTIMATELY, IT COMES DOWN
TO ECONOMICS, WHICH IS
ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT'S MENTIONED.
WE MAY HAVE TO LITERALLY
RAISE THAT HOUSE, BUILD A
NEW FOUNDATION, WHICH MEANS
THAT IT COSTS MORE.
SO FORTUNATELY, THE CITY HAS
GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE
TO HELP PERSONS WITH THAT.
SOMETIMES IT MEANS
THAT PERSON MIGHT HAVE TO
CONTRIBUTE A CERTAIN PORTION
OF THOSE DOLLARS TO
THAT HOUSE RENOVATION, AND
LITERALLY, WHAT MIGHT HAVE
STARTED OUT AS A SMALL
RENOVATION BECOMES
A SUBSTANTIAL REHAB
IN ORDER TO ENSURE
THAT WE'RE REALLY MAKING
THAT HOUSE SUSTAINABLE
FOR THE LONG TERM.
>> Cabiness: WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO FORTIFY OUR EDGES,
SO WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW
TO RESTORE THE SEAWALL,
THE LOW BATTERY SEAWALL.
WE REPLACED
THE CORNER SECTION OF IT
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
NOW WE'RE WORKING
ON THE LOW BATTERY.
AND WE'RE LOOKING
AT BUILDING IT
2 1/2 FEET HIGHER.
>> Keyserling: MY GOAL--
AND IN A SMALL CITY, WE'RE
GONNA NEVER GET ATTENTION.
SO MY ATTITUDE WAS,
LET'S GET OUT FRONT,
AND WE'RE AT A POINT NOW
WHERE WE'RE READY TO GET
A GRANT FOR ENGINEERING ON
WHAT WE CALL THE HOT SPOTS.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED
THE HOT SPOTS,
THE MOST VULNERABLE PLACES.
AND THEN NEXT IS TO GET
A GRANT AND GO AHEAD AND
ENGINEER IT SO THAT WHEN,
ALL OF A SUDDEN,
WASHINGTON WAKES UP,
COLUMBIA WAKES UP,
AND THEY SAY, "WE'VE GOT
TO DO SOMETHING," I'LL GIVE
THEM MY DRAWINGS, MY PLANS,
AND I'LL SAY, "LET
BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA,
BE A PILOT PROJECT."
>> IN BEAUFORT COUNTY,
IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE A SEA
LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION PLAN
THAT THE COUNTY DEVELOPED
WITH THE COMMUNITY IN MIND,
AND THE COMMUNITY
WAS VERY ENGAGED IN
THAT STAKEHOLDER PROCESS.
THEY RANKED STEPS THAT YOU
CAN TAKE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE
CHANGE AND TO MAKE YOUR
COMMUNITY MORE RESILIENT,
SUCH AS PRIORITIZING
PROTECTION
OF HIGH-RISK AREAS,
INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY
IN EDUCATION,
INVESTING IN A TRANSFER OF
DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS PROCESS
SO THAT YOU CAN TRANSFER
DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS
FROM THE HIGH-RISK AREAS TO
THE SAFE AREAS WITH RESPECT
TO RISING SEAS,
TO INVEST IN SETBACKS
AND BEACHFRONT RETREAT.
THOSE ARE SOME TOOLS
THAT BEAUFORT COUNTY HAS
PRESCRIBED, AND I THINK
THAT BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN
COMMUNITY DRIVEN, THERE'S AN
OWNERSHIP OVER THOSE TOOLS
AND HOPEFULLY AN OWNERSHIP
OVER THOSE OUTCOMES.
>> Gaines: IT DOESN'T NEED
ANY MORE ARGUMENT
AND DISCUSSION ON IT.
IT NEEDS ACTION.
AND I THINK WHAT THE ACTION
IS, IS THAT YOU GET A WIDE
VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES
AND OPINIONS
AND WE SIT AT THE TABLE
AND WE DETERMINE WHAT IS
IMPORTANT BASED ON ALL THESE
FACTORS--ENVIRONMENTAL,
SOCIAL, ECONOMICS--
AND FIND OUT A REAL SOLUTION
THAT'S VIABLE, ECONOMICALLY
SOUND, AND SUSTAINABLE
LONG-TERM TO PRESERVE
AND PROTECT SPECIAL PLACES
LIKE THIS.
>> Beach: THE LEADERSHIP
ROLE HERE IS TO DEVELOP
THE AGENDA, TO IDENTIFY
THE PROJECT LIST AND THE
PRIORITIES, TO ASSIGN COSTS,
TO ADD THEM UP, AND THEN GO
RAISE THE MONEY TO DO IT.
AND IT'S NOT THAT HARD.
>> McMillan: THE IMPACTS
ARE CLEAR, COMMUNITIES
ARE RESPONDING,
AND THE CONVERSATION IS
FOCUSED MORE THAN EVER
ON RESILIENCY, MITIGATION,
AND PRESERVATION.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE
A SEA CHANGE OF IDEAS,
INNOVATION, AND INVESTMENT
TO HELP OUR TOWNS, CITIES,
STATES, NATION,
AND THE WORLD
TO MEET THIS MONUMENTAL
CHALLENGE.
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