Rising sea level caused by climate change could destroy 31 to 67 percent of Southern California beaches, according to a paper published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Right now, the shoreline is artificially maintained with supplementary sand, but if sea level rises anywhere between 3 to 6 feet, the current pace of replenishment might be insufficient. The implications are serious — the sand on our beaches acts as a barrier between coastal residents and storms. And erosion would have serious consequences for the local economy, as beaches bring in $40 million from tourism every year.
Host Larry Mantle checks in with Sean Vitousek, lead author of the study, on the conclusions of the research and what we can do to preserve our local beaches.
Guest:
Sean Vitousek, lead author of the study and professor of engineering at the University of Illinois