North Carolina ignores science in sea level planning An
interesting political battle is underway in North Carolina on
how to plan for 21st century sea level rise, newsobserver.com
reports. Sea level rise scientists commonly cite one meter (3.3
feet) as the expected global sea level rise by 2100, and more
than a dozen science panels from coastal states, including a
state-appointed science panel in North Carolina, agree. However,
a coastal economic development group called NC-20, named for the
20 coastal counties in North Carolina, attacked the report,
saying the science was flawed. NC-20 says the state should rely
only on historical trends of sea level rise, and not plan for a
future where sea level rise might accelerate. North Carolina
should plan for only 8 inches of rise by 2100, based on the
historical trend in Wilmington, NC, the group says. Republican
state legislators introduced a bill that follows this logic,
requiring the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission to
make development plans assuming s