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NEWS: Coastal wetlands are unable to adapt to the rate of sea-level rise and are constrained by infrastructure

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Wetlands, precious ecosystems that shield coastlines, safeguard drinking water from saltwater contamination, and nourish diverse wildlife, face a dire threat from the accelerating pace of sea-level rise, driven by global warming. Wetlands have historically adapted to rising sea levels by expanding upward and inland. However, predictions indicate that the waterline will soon shift far too rapidly for wetlands to keep pace. Consequently, future decades may witness the tragic loss of these vital wetland ecosystems. Wetlands along coastlines have historically played valuable roles for people and wildlife, but are now facing the threat of sea-level rise. As temperatures rise, sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, and wetlands are unable to keep pace by building upward and migrating inland. This is due to human-induced climate change and the burning of fossil fuels, which has warmed the oceans and melted glaciers. Sea levels are now rising at about 10 millimeters per year, and are
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Poor US infrastructure gets C- from engineers

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This mediocre grade from engineers group marks slight improvement from D+ mark in 2017

With Democrats eyeing an infrastructure package to follow on coronavirus relief, a group of civil engineers Wednesday decried the poor state of US infrastructure, graded as mediocre at best.

A report by the American Society of Civil Engineers graded the national infrastructure at C-, up slightly from a D+ grade in 2017.

The grade reflects a "mediocre" condition with "significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality," said the group’s Infrastructure Report Card.

To bring infrastructure to a safe and sustainable level, the engineers called for "big and bold" relief that would cost nearly $6 trillion over the next decade.

Also read: How can the US build and maintain infrastructure to meet its future requirements?

"America's infrastructure is not functioning as it should, and families are losing thousands of dollars a year in disposable income as a result of cities having to fix potholes, people getting stuck in traffic or due to repairs when a water line breaks or the energy grid goes down," said Greg DiLoreto, the group’s former head.

"It’s critical we take action now," DiLoreto continued.

He also said that President Joe Biden's administration is now making the subject a "top priority."

Under former President Donald Trump, aborted “infrastructure weeks” became the subject of running jokes, but congressional Democrats have vowed to pass an infrastructure bill close on the heels of a coronavirus relief measure.

Source: AA.tr.com

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