Real Estate Talks

This is just in ...


""Surrey hatching plan to buy out 400 Crescent Beach homes as sea levels rise

As climate change progresses, Crescent Beach 'would turn into a wetland,' engineer says"

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.4675432

FYI

"2018 Japan heat wave...

On 15 July, 200 out of 927 stations in the nationwide observation network recorded maximum temperatures exceeding 35 °C (95.0 °F).[2] On 23 July, a high temperature of 41.1 °C (106.0 °F) was observed in Kumagaya, 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Tokyo. This constitutes an all-time high for all of Japan.[3] Many cities recorded temperatures near 40 °C (104 °F) on this day.[4] In Kyoto, temperatures stood above 38 °C (100 °F) for seven days in a row for the first time since records began to be kept in the 19th century.[5]..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Japan_heat_wave

"World Meteorological Association says temperatures will rise up to 5 °C by end of century if current trend continues

… "We are the first generation to fully understand climate change and the last generation to be able to do something about it."

That's the warning from World Meteorological Association secretary-general Petteri Taalas as his organization released its latest report, The State of the Global Cimate in 2018.
It notes that 2018 is slated to be the fourth warmest year on record, though it was slightly cooler than the three hottest years from 2015 to 2017.

… “We are not on track to meet climate change targets and rein in temperature increases,” Taalas said. “Greenhouse gas concentrations are once again at record levels and if the current trend continues we may see temperature increases 3 to 5 °C by the end of the century. If we exploit all known fossil fuel resources, the temperature rise will be considerably higher.”

https://www.straight.com/news/1170901/w ... century-if

As a follow up to the previous post, there are consequences for the Vancouver waterfront. That's why I moved away from False Creek. At King Tide, the water is already within a coupe of feet from street level. Some carparks are going to get flooded.

"King tide floods part of Vancouver's seawall, offering glimpse into city's future

Sea levels will likely rise up to 50 cm by 2050, and a full metre by 2100, says researcher.... "


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british- ... -1.4926678

Here's the analytical proof.

"B.C. scientists link catastrophic wildfires to human-caused climate change

… “Researchers found that the extreme high temperatures were made 20 times more likely by human-induced climate change,” the release continues. “They also found the area burned seven to 11 times larger than would have been expected without human influence on the climate. Extreme temperatures combined with dry conditions increase the likelihood of wildfire ignition and its spread.”


https://www.straight.com/news/1185121/b ... ate-change

It's official …

"Climate change is warming Canada at a rate twice as fast as the global average, federal report warns..."


https://www.straight.com/news/1222111/c ... port-warns

The wildfire season cost >$500m a year these days. Could get worse.

I was in Toronto visiting the Toronto Islands. On the Ward and Algonquin Islands, there was extensive flooding, even with several feet of flood barriers added to the shoreline. In fact, in the low areas, a light swell had the water level lapping at the top of their temporary barriers. Those residents are gonna be flooded out soon.

"Climate change will crush real estate values for investors who don’t prepare, new report says

… Damage to U.S. real estate from extreme storms hit a record high in 2017. Natural disasters, including floods, mudslides and wildfires, cost more than $300 billion in damage, the bulk of it to residential and commercial real estate.

In 2018, from May through July, much of the East Coast, down to Florida, saw rainfall up to three times normal levels, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Nine of the top 10 years for one-day extreme precipitation events have occurred since 1990, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), because as the atmosphere warms, clouds hold more water...."

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/08/climate ... eport.html

Here's step back from the trenches...

"Fighting climate change may be cheaper and more beneficial than we think

In a cartoon that went viral before the Copenhagen climate summit in 2009, a conference presentation lists some of the side benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, from cleaner air to green jobs, as a man in the audience asks: "What if it's a big hoax and we create a better world for nothing?"
Ten years after U.S. cartoonist Joel Pett penned that cartoon, there is stronger scientific consensus than ever that climate change is real, and more and more evidence that fighting climate change has positive side effects or "co-benefits."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/clim ... -1.5205552

Here's the moment of truth. To stop global warming before the tipping point, net Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) must be zero by 2050. To appreciate the amount of work that has gone into climate research, follow through with the 'Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_R ... _of_1.5_°C


One of the stupidest arguments from the deniers is this. There is a stack of evidence supporting climate change because so much money has been poured into research about climate change.

This is obviously wrong. Since Big Oil and Big Coal could have poured billions into research to win the debate. Instead, the evidence has identified fossil fuel as the main culprit. No amount of rigged research by Big Oil can change the scientific consensus which is non-partisan.

At a time when we need to make significant sacrifices, there is heavy resistance from the heavy polluters. They're not willing to pay the 'carbon tax'.

The bottom line is that the human race will not be able to meet the goal because the heavy polluters are not willing to pay their share.

So, look to the future. In the next 10 years, there will be worse floods in spring, raging wildfires in summer, and tropical storms in late summer. You have to ask yourself, “Where is a safe refuge?”

Everyplace will be affected by climate change. Even Vancouver will be affected by wildfire haze and water shortages.

I started this thread in 2012, as an educational service. Even then, I anticipated that the human race would NOT be able to find the consensus to do the right thing. Even when doing the right thing was in its own interest.

Today, the Donald and Doug administrations are just the tip of the iceberg.

Sometime around 2030, there will be enough damage for the pendulum to swing back. By then, any doable plan from the UN will be too little and too late. At that time, the goal will be to limit global warming to 3 or 4 or 5 degrees Centigrade.

Good luck to you all. I'm signing off because my job is done. Look to yourselves.

https://www.straight.com/news/1282536/s ... test-month