“Rising sea levels are not just a future threat: They are already here, a documented fact,” says a team of researchers in a recently published volume of reporting by Reuters.

The investigation, titled Water’s Edge: The Crisis of Rising Sea Levels, provides a cogent look at the erosion issues facing our coastline, the fiscal disaster that is unfolding through efforts to protect coastal property, and the perverse actions of local and federal governments in continuing to encourage beachfront development.

“Higher water levels compound the effects of storms and regular flooding, hastening erosion… yet the law has done little to discourage growth in harm’s way,” says the investigative team.

“Despite laws intended to curb development where rising seas pose the greatest threat, Reuters finds that government is happy to help the nation indulge in its passion for beachfront living.”

Much of that help comes from federal government in the form of financial incentives, while local governments help by authorizing engineering projects that create massive costs to taxpayers and the environment—all the while, providing a false sense of security to those who live along the coast.
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