McClatchy has a piece up today titled, “Coastal cities ponder how to prepare for rising sea levels” that’s filled with the usual alarmist hyperbole, but what stands out is how the piece depends on the reader’s inability to do simple math to make its case:
Rising sea levels caused primarily by global warming could worsen the effects of storms such as Sandy, particularly when it comes to storm surge. Since 1992, satellites have observed a 2.25-inch rise in global sea levels.
Let’s break this down:
1992 to 2013 is 21 years. 21 years divided by the 2.25-inch total global rise in sea levels gives us an annual average rise of .11 inches. (Roughly 3 millimeters per year, as determined by NOAA)
This means, at the current rate, it would take 109 years for sea levels to rise by just one foot.
Well, with 100 years to go, I’m pretty sure cities have time to “ponder” all they like.