Responding to Global Warming along the U

The process of responding to accelerated sea level rise in the United States is well underway, at least for a phenomenon that is not expected for several decades. Over the last seven years, almost all of the coastal states have held at least one major conference on the subject, and a few of them have altered coastal development policies to accommodate a future rise. Public officials are generally familiar with the issue, as are representatives of the press, nongovernmental organizations, and coastal investors. The federal government has conducted assessments of possible nationwide responses, as well as implications for specific types of decisions such as the design of coastal drainage systems, maintaining recreational beaches, and protecting coastal wetlands.