Growing Returns

Selected tag(s): coastal communities

Will adding more sand to Florida’s beaches save them? Experts share why this isn’t enough.

By / Published: October 3, 2023

White blankets of sand, bright blue water and palm trees swaying with the breeze – it’s the picturesque landscape that comes to mind when you think of Florida’s beaches. But this stunning scenery comes at a cost with the need to regularly artificially replenish eroding shorelines, a process also known as beach nourishment. 

Over the last 87 years, Florida has spent at least $1.9 billion on beach nourishment, and state and local governments pay $30 to $50 million per year to maintain their coastlines. While this may mean beautiful beaches, taxpayers should question if beach nourishment alone is the best investment for Florida in the long-term.  

Read More »

Posted in Uncategorized / Also tagged , , , | Read 1 Response

My perspectives on how we can inspire the next generation of Black climate leaders.

By / Published: October 26, 2022

By Arianna Mackey, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Summer 2022 Intern

I became aware of my community’s lack of environmental awareness at a very young age. Growing up in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, my family and I visited the Nauticus museum often. One afternoon, after spending time in the flooding exhibit, I explained to my mom that due to increased flooding, Virginia Beach would be inhabitable in the future, with standing water reaching the front door following a storm. She brushed me off by saying it was an “over-exaggeration” and our community was fine. That encounter piqued my interest in environmentalism. Read More »

Posted in Climate Resilience / Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments are closed

Virginia’s Legislature made progress on flood resilience in 2022, but significant work remains.

By / Published: June 3, 2022

Last month, a Nor’easter left parts of Hampton Roads flooded for days, disrupting transit and damaging property. This situation is a reality for a growing number of Virginians who are experiencing more intense and frequent flooding due to rising sea levels and heavier precipitation.

Without action, coastal flood damages are expected to cost Virginia $5.1 billion annually by 2080, which is why its leaders must use every tool in the toolbox to match the scale of challenges facing people across the Commonwealth.

While Virginia’s General Assembly concluded its 2022 legislative session with several successes, more work is needed – particularly in securing long-term funding for flood resilience, to protect people and natural resources from flood threats now and in the future.

Here are three key takeaways from Virginia’s legislative session relating to flood resilience. Read More »

Posted in Uncategorized / Also tagged , , , , | Comments are closed

How can we reduce losses from coastal storms? Monitor the health of our coasts.

By / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: October 17, 2018

With a rapidly changing climate and more frequent extreme events like floods and droughts, comprehensive environmental monitoring will be increasingly important for coastal planners, farmers and others invested in natural resource management.

Monitoring efforts can cover the whole spectrum of environmental and socioeconomic concerns to provide a holistic picture of ecosystem health over the short- and long-term. This can help to inform future decisions and planning based on the most recent conditions and trends.

However, it can be difficult to coordinate monitoring efforts across political boundaries and agencies, and monitoring is expensive to maintain over time.

Luckily, Louisiana is already a world leader in utilizing collaborative monitoring data to inform coastal restoration and planning efforts. Read More »

Posted in Uncategorized / Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Read 1 Response

Environmental impact bonds can help make coastal communities safer, sooner. Here’s how.

By / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: August 14, 2018

Last year’s hurricane season was the most destructive disaster season in U.S. history, causing $265 billion in damage and forcing more than one million Americans from their homes.

As climate change causes weather to get more extreme, coastal communities across the country are struggling to find cost-effective solutions to enhance their resiliency to storms and develop new ways to finance that work.

Photo Credit: Karen A. Westphal, Audubon Louisiana

How can we help make coastal communities more resilient more quickly? How can we engage the private sector in coastal resiliency efforts and generate a financial return for investors?

Together with my EDF colleagues and partners, I set out to explore how one innovative financing mechanism – environmental impact bonds – might help. Read More »

Posted in Uncategorized / Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Read 2 Responses