Rotterdam, Netherlands has been planning for global warming and rising sea levels since the early 1990’s.  Before most of the world even acknowledged carbon emissions and warming temperatures would in fact lead to alarming consequences, Rotterdam was preparing for a 1 in 10,000 year storm.  The  Maeslant Storm Surge Barrier, the world’s largest mobile barrier, was built in the 1990s and is made to withstand up to a 3 meters of storm surge.  Unlike New Orleans whose levies were built for a 1 in 100 year storm event, Rotterdam had been looking to the very distant future when preparing for storm surge and sea level rise.  Along with this barrier, Rotterdam has also invested in hard and soft barriers to help with storm surge and rising seas.  Other ideas, such as floating buildings, are also under construction in an effort to find unique ways to solve the damage incurred by rising seas and storm surge.

I believe that Rotterdam is far ahead of the game than many countries, when it comes to creating barriers and infrastructure to withstand rising seas and storm surge.  I do have to wonder how all the hard barriers that have been built have impacted the natural processes of the coast and the ecosystem.  The article highlighted that new structures have mostly been soft barriers, and hopefully this country who is already ahead of its time will come up with innovative solutions that help maintain coastal processes and vulnerable ecosystems, while also protecting life and property from storm surge and rising sea’s.

References:

Bentley, G. C. (2016, June 21). As sea levels rise, Rotterdam shows how to live with water. Retrieved July 03, 2016, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/06/21/rotterdam-sea-levels/86172926/