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yo2sense t1_j1h7e2w wrote

Reply to comment by craigworknova in The $52 billion plan to save New York’s low-lying areas from sea level rise and storm surges by ChiggaOG

Doesn't seem to make much sense to spend $52 billion to try to protect the $147 billion worth of property that are on the current floodplain when we are expecting sea levels to rise.

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Agent_Angelo_Pappas t1_j1hl81v wrote

That’s only what’s at imminent risk today. Every year that number will grow as rising sea levels expose more and more of the city. This infrastructure would be the foundation of what will protect the whole of New York City as the century continues and conditions get worse

New York City is one of America’s most efficiently populated spaces. More than half the population uses public transportation regularly and they are densely packed in limiting the amount of land use per person. If the goal is to minimize ecological impact then we want Americans living in places like New York. It probably is worth walling it up than ceding that to the ocean.

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Brave-Examination-70 t1_j1ivzr9 wrote

They'd be better off restoring the wetlands, sandbars, and other natural elements that used to prevent this from happening. Cheaper and more effective.

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asdaaaaaaaa t1_j1i4gtw wrote

I also wonder how much extra energy is "saved" through winters due to heavy population. Heavily populated cities like that tend to stay warmer due to all the heat bleeding from vehicles/electronics/buildings, right? Not to mention I'd imagine it's cheaper heating x25 apartments in one building than say, 20 or so separate houses.

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11fingerfreak t1_j1kqulk wrote

There’s nothing we’re going to create that will permanently keep the ocean at bay. The only things we could’ve done are:

  • stop cutting down trees
  • stop putting greenhouse gasses in the air

We collectively choose to do neither. So that’s done and over with. There’s nothing that’s going to change what we did at this point. We adapt or we die and go broke along the way. Pretending there’s some magical terraforming we’re going to engage in that will prevent the ocean from rising at this point is magical thinking.

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asdaaaaaaaa t1_j1i47yj wrote

Depends on who owns those properties. If say, a major CEO who could decide the pricing/availability of a new contract with the state or something owned one or a few, it can certainly influence decisions. The examples unlikely, but stuff like that does happen.

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