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The Water Will Come
Book

The Water Will Come

Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World

Little, Brown US, 2017 more...


Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Comprehensive
  • Scientific
  • Concrete Examples

Recommendation

According to journalist Jeff Goodell, rising seas will drown coastal cities, displacing hundreds of millions of people and causing trillions of dollars in damage. Modern people – unlike their seawise ancestors – cling to coastal land, barricade it and build vulnerable fixed infrastructures like nuclear power plants. Inevitably, Goodell says, as glaciers melt at an unprecedented rate, “the water will come.” The author traveled widely to understand this unfolding catastrophe, speaking with its victims and with those who can limit its effects. His compelling primer will appeal to influencers, leaders, change managers and concerned citizens.

Take-Aways

  • Sea-level rise caused by global warming will disrupt and reshape coastal cities; humankind may be able to limit sea rise with concerted action.
  • Some 14,500 years ago, the last ice age ended, triggering the vast Meltwater Pulse; biblical and aboriginal flood tales might recall the latter stages of the Pulse.
  • Ash from forest fires settles on glaciers, lowering reflectivity and causing faster melting.

About the Author

Rolling Stone editor and award-winning author Jeff Goodell writes on modern environmental and energy issues. His other books include How to Cool the Planet, Sunnyvale and Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future.


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