Rising tides: The impact of sea level rise on North Carolina’s coast – WRAL News

As sea levels rise

Communities along North Carolina’s coastline are facing unprecedented challenges that threaten their homes, livelihoods, and way of life.

Reports reveal alarming trends

Reports from state and federal agencies reveal alarming trends in coastal erosion, exacerbated by climate change.

On Hatteras Island

Since 2020, 10 homes have collapsed into the ocean due to erosion rates exceeding 15 feet annually.

Local resident Adam Bittman

Local resident Adam Bittman reflected on the anguish felt by many.

“What I see is the future I don’t want for my children,” Bittman said. “We need to do something about it … years ago.”

The loss of homes

The loss of homes is not merely a personal tragedy; it represents a growing crisis reshaping coastal communities.

Impacts of sea level rise

Rick Luettich, director of the Institute of Marine Sciences, said the impacts of sea level rise are becoming increasingly visible.

“What we’re seeing now are high tides flooding into the streets,” Luettich said. “High tides with just a little wind are causing flooding in areas that haven’t flooded in the past. Sea-level rise, driven by climate change, is starting to affect our daily lives.”

Homeowners caught in the middle

As erosion accelerates, homeowners are left with difficult decisions. Some, like Sharon Troy, have seen their homes crumble into the sea, powerless to stop it due to financial constraints.

“It’s hard to be proactive when you don’t have the funds to move your house or buy a lot,” Troy said. “Insurance companies don’t do anything until your house falls into the ocean.”

Insurance policies often don’t cover damage from erosion or the cost of moving homes preemptively, leaving residents stuck. When a home collapses, the cleanup of debris is costly and hazardous.

Potential solutions:

1. Beach nourishment: involves dredging sand to restore eroded beaches, offers temporary relief but costs tens of millions of dollars and must be repeated regularly.
2. Buyouts: homeowners are compensated for their at-risk properties. Further buyouts depend on funding availability. Federal buyouts are usually only available after a disaster, limiting preemptive efforts.
3. Ban on new beachfront development: advocated by environmental groups to prevent additional homes from being built in high-risk areas. Faces resistance due to potential economic impact on tourism and real estate.

The rising threat

Wilmington has recorded seven inches of sea level rise since 2010, more than double the 2.7 inches seen from 1980 to 2009, according to NOAA. Along the North Carolina coast, NOAA predicts sea levels could rise by one to two feet by 2050.

“We need to start paying attention to what the climate is telling us,” Couch said. “If you stick your head in the sand, you’re going to find yourself being reactive instead of proactive.”

Despite the looming threat, demand for coastal property remains high. Couch noted that beachfront development will continue as long as it remains profitable. Some rental homes in the Outer Banks are listed for over $40,000 per week during peak summer dates.

A look to the future

The North Carolina coast isn’t just losing homes — it’s facing an existential crisis. Dave Hallac, superintendent of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, said long-term thinking is critical.

“We have to be thinking 10 or 20 years ahead so we can hopefully prevent these types of situations,” Hallac said.

Hallac co-authored a recent report on threatened oceanfront structures in North Carolina, which emphasized the speed at which coastal dynamics are shifting.

“There are threatened oceanfront structures today that were not threatened just a few days ago,” he said.

Debris from collapsing homes — pieces of pools, segments of stairs, and rusty nails — has become a haunting symbol of the crisis.

Buxton resident Allen Dufala believes action is necessary, despite the challenges.

“It’s not an issue of finding blame now; let’s just fix it,” he said.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

As North Carolina faces this critical juncture, the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to address climate change and rising sea levels has never been clearer. The future of the state’s coastline — and the communities that rely on it — depends on our ability to adapt and take action.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.
   • Indicator 11.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
   • Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
   • Indicator 13.1.2: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into their national policies, strategies, and planning.

3. SDG 14: Life Below Water

   • Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information.
   • Indicator 14.5.1: Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas.

Source: wral.com