Join the How We Respond FacebookLive, Tuesday, September 17 at 1:00pm ET. Flooding and sea-level rise are growing climate change concerns for coastal cities around the world. Through an innovative program, Savannah, Georgia is showing how local initiatives can prepare for climate change impacts. Scientists Russell Clark and Kim Cobb partnered with local students and community groups, including the Harambee House, to create and install new, low-cost sea level sensors around Savannah, giving residents a better picture of potential threats to their homes. Surrounding communities and cities along the eastern seaboard are interested in expanding the sensor program, which will facilitate a more accurate emergency response system. The City of Savannah is also taking other measures to address climate change, including a new program to restore the city’s dwindling tree population, and create jobs for local residents.
Savannah Smart Sea Level Sensors is one of the projects highlighted across 18 U.S. communities in How We Respond, a new report and multimedia resources developed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). How We Respond shows examples of communities that are using scientific information to adapt to climate change impacts and/or reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the local level.