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Climate Change Will Alter California’s Coast. Here’s How The State Plans To Manage It
Carbon Beach, also known locally as "Billionaire Beach," will see significant sea level rise over time because of the effects of climate change. Photographed from the air on September 9, 2019 in Malibu. (James Bernal for LAist)
Climate change together with the impact of millions of us living along California’s coast, doesn’t bode well for our future here. That’s why today, California’s Ocean Protection Council approved a five-year strategic plan to try to address some of the issues, before it’s too late.
Key objectives:
- Make sure the state, up and down the coast, is prepared for 3 1/2 feet of sea level rise by 2050. That’ll mean deciding what’ll stay and what’ll go, including in Malibu and Santa Monica.
- Save and build up coastal wetlands — crucial for sequestering carbon and providing a buffer for rising sea levels.
- Expand kelp forests, which can help fight ocean acidification.
- Ensure beaches are largely free of poop water by 2025.
- Stop trash from flowing from cities into the ocean by 2030.
- Get rid of at least one offshore oil rig by 2030.
- Possibly establish an offshore wind farm by 2026.
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Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
