Sea Change

Scientists are predicting about a three-foot rise in sea level along North Carolina’s coast by 2100, which would have devastating impacts on our coastal communities. A rising sea is already causing issues including more frequent flooding, higher storm surges, higher erosion rates and saltwater intrusion into forests and farmlands.

People in coastal counties are already trying to adapt to the changes. Homes are being raised, dikes are being built, farmers are using techniques to try and keep saltwater off their land and efforts are underway to protect habitat in a federal wildlife refuge. But a recent NC State and Appalachian State study found that many coastal communities are doing nothing to prepare for rising sea level.

You may also recall that North Carolina became the butt of jokes nationally in 2012 after the state told coastal communities to use only 30-year projections for sea level rise instead of using projections to 2100 to plan for development.

“Sea Change” is a half-hour documentary examining sea level rise along North Carolina’s coast, its potential impacts, how our state is adapting and plans to adapt in the future and the debate over the rate of sea level rise in the future.