John Englander - Moving to Higher Ground: Rising Sea Level and the Path Forward

John Englander has again written a timely, incisive, and important book. He explains, in clear language, the crises we are facing from sea level rise and offers positive ways to accommodate these challenges... a must read for all people concerned about our future.

Christine Todd Whitman, former New Jersey governor and EPA administrator

John Englanders new book takes a vital next step in discussing sea level rise. In simple yet memorable terms, Englander explains the science behind the shocking impacts to come. And discusses how to prepare for these inevitable, life-changing ramifications.

Jeff Berardelli, CBS-TV News meteorologist and climate specialist

A meter or more of higher sea level presents a profound global challenge for many professions and engineering will be at the sharp-edge of finding practical solutions. There is an urgent need to formulate an adaptive-ready, future-proofed approach to new build and retrofit, and we applaud Englander on the timeliness of his new book...

Dr Colin Brown CEng FIMechE FIMMM, CEO Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London

High Tide On Main Street was on the Top 10 on my Commandants reading list for the Coast Guard... From critical infrastructure, collapsed housing markets, displaced populations, and environmental refugees, the impacts are profound. In this new book, John Englander convincingly reorients our attention from the tyranny of the present to a future that absolutely must be addressed by national leaders. A must read for climate change proponents and nay-sayers alike!

Admiral Paul Zukunft, US Coast Guard (retired), former Commandant

In Hong Kong and South China, there is increasing awareness that sea level rise is a challenge. Moving to Higher Ground is timely, as people in Asia want to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. John gives us a perspective that this is a global issue with no boundaries and shows us the path forward.

Dr. Christine Loh, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; (former) Undersecretary for the Environment, Hong Kong

Oceanographer John Englander has done it again with a timely, very well-written and outstanding book on the greatest threat facing humanity today: climate change and sea level rise. His book recharges my batteries and gives me hope to tackle these challenges together. When we protect the ocean, we protect ourselves.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, President, Ocean Futures Society

A brilliantly written book that captures the unprecedented challenges the world faces as sea level continues to rise at rates unknown to modern humankind... The chapters are scientifically sound, and written with a wide readership in mind. It is a pleasure to recommend this book without any reservations.

Dr. Robert (Bob) Corell, former National Science Foundation Assistant Director; Chair, U.S. program for climate change and IPCC; Nobel (shared recipient) climate change

As an evangelist for science-based spirituality and theology, I am guided by reality and evidence. With his first book, John Englander became the prophet about the rising sea and how it fits into the story of the evolving Earth. His latest book, Moving to Higher Ground, raises the bar, inspiring us to adapt, to focus on future generations, and to consider our legacy.

Rev. Michael Dowd, author of Thank God for Evolution and host of Post-Doom Conversations

John Englander skillfully conveys the consequences of rising sea levels. From a military perspective, this will literally change the strategic landscape and challenge global defense forces. The melting Arctic has passed the tipping point. John advises us to prepare and think about bold solutions to these new challenges. Englander is a brilliant communicator, and his book is an enjoyable and enlightening read.

Major General Kim J. Jrgensen, commander of Danish Joint Arctic Command, Greenland

... Johns newest book responds directly to a plea I heard from a US city mayor about the risks posed by sea level rise: We know we have a problem. We know we have to do something. Show us examples that make a difference! Moving to Higher Ground shows us how to cope with the effects of SLR using intelligent adaptation. Architecture and urban design are critical elements of this future.

Thomas Vonier, FAIA RIBA. President UIAThe International Union of Architects and former President AIAAmerican Institute of Architects

Moving to Higher Ground makes a compelling case that sea level rise, unrelenting and inexorable, will dramatically impact the engineering, construction, finance, and legal industries in the coming decades. Sea level rise will transform communities, ushering in the need for new legal concepts to cope with this challenge.

Thomas F. Morante, attorney, Carlton Fields, insurance and finance practice

John Englander is at the forefront of alerting us about the dangers and costs of global sea level rise. His book bridges the critical gap between the physical sciences, the public, and policy and governance. He captures the challenges that face humanity with sea levels rising several meters over the next one or two centuries. I warmly recommend this fantastic book.

Professor Eric Rignot, glaciologist, UC Irvine; Senior Scientist, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Member, National Academy of Sciences; Nobel recipient (shared) climate change

Englander provides us fair warning. Disastrous collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets can be avoided only if the public pressures our leaders to rapidly phase out fossil fuels.

Dr. James E. Hansen, renowned climatologist; former director of NASAs Goddard Institute of Space Studies

Copyright 2021 by John Englander

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Published by The Science Bookshelf, Boca Raton, Florida
www.thesciencebookshelf.com

Edited and designed by Girl Friday Productions
www.girlfridayproductions.com
Design: Paul Barrett
Project management: Sara Spees Addicott

Cartoons by Jim Bertram
2020 Jim Bertram

ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-7334999-0-3
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-7334999-1-0
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-7334999-2-7
ISBN (audiobook): 978-1-7334999-3-4

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020901623

First edition

This book is dedicated to everyone who rises to the bold challenge posed by the rising sea:

to the pioneers from whom I have learned parts of this incredible story and to all who hear the message, become teachers and pay it forward.

Time and tide wait for no man.

English proverb (Chaucer)

When I taught management and leadership, one of the pitfalls we identified that undermines good decision-making is the recency effect, the natural human tendency to assume that recent experience reliably predicts what will happen next. As much as we might expect the continuation of a hot streak, heads coming up five times in a row does not change the fact that on the next coin toss, the odds of either heads or tails are exactly fifty-fifty. Usually this concept is applied to truly recent experiencesas measured in minutes, hours, or maybe occasionally years. But what if recent happens to encompass all of human history?