Why Californians Should Party on the Beach Now
Before Waters Inundate the Coast, We Need to Embrace the Flood and Plan for the Future
Peace out, Pacifica.
Don’t despair, Del Mar.
Never stress, Newport Beach.
Yes, sea levels are rising. Yes, California’s coastline is eroding and changing. And yes, even with Californians taking action against climate change, we are going to lose beloved beaches, bluffs, and homes.
But we must not let our relationship with the coast become dominated by fear, division, and local politics. Approaching sea-level rise as another legal-political fight encourages the kinds of climate response—drastic, panicked, and litigation-driven—that our descendants will rue.
Instead, we should embrace the coast’s constantly shifting nature, cling to …
