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The NYC subways really really need to be upgraded.
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/com...disaster/3748/
If the ocean level starts rising rapidly due to global warming, the level changes by very different amounts on different parts of the Earth. It does not rise much around Hawaii, for example, but rises much more in the south Pacific.
Here are measured rises around the continental US.
http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2012/10/research.html
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journ...imate1597.html
Sea levels rising can take centuries. However, atmospheric circulation patterns can change in a decade or even in a single year. There could therefore be a greater number, or fewer, storms like this hitting a particular area in the future. What if instead of this being a once-a-century storm it starts to happen every five years?
Or maybe the better solution is it is time to start the migration of the city to further away from the coast. Why is the stock exchange so near the ocean? Since most trading is electronic, maybe all they need to do is build a much smaller trading floor north of Manhattan.
Tokyo is considering moving many government agencies out of central Tokyo and further inland by 10 or 20 miles, or even spreading branch offices across Japan.
For perspective, the March 11, 2011, megaquake and tsunami in Japan cost about 250 billion dollars.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/daily...ural_disasters
Fukushima will likely wind up costing about 250 billion dollars.
http://www.energymatters.com.au/inde...rticle_id=1919
So total damage about half a trillion dollars.
http://www.theatlanticcities.com/com...disaster/3748/
If the ocean level starts rising rapidly due to global warming, the level changes by very different amounts on different parts of the Earth. It does not rise much around Hawaii, for example, but rises much more in the south Pacific.
Here are measured rises around the continental US.
http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2012/10/research.html
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journ...imate1597.html
Sea levels rising can take centuries. However, atmospheric circulation patterns can change in a decade or even in a single year. There could therefore be a greater number, or fewer, storms like this hitting a particular area in the future. What if instead of this being a once-a-century storm it starts to happen every five years?
Or maybe the better solution is it is time to start the migration of the city to further away from the coast. Why is the stock exchange so near the ocean? Since most trading is electronic, maybe all they need to do is build a much smaller trading floor north of Manhattan.
Tokyo is considering moving many government agencies out of central Tokyo and further inland by 10 or 20 miles, or even spreading branch offices across Japan.
For perspective, the March 11, 2011, megaquake and tsunami in Japan cost about 250 billion dollars.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/daily...ural_disasters
Fukushima will likely wind up costing about 250 billion dollars.
http://www.energymatters.com.au/inde...rticle_id=1919
So total damage about half a trillion dollars.