Written by 8:00 am News

Water, Water Everywhere: Climate Change in New London

 

Courtesy of Evie Lockwood Mullaney


Although Connecticut College is the southernmost school in the NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference), it has certainly had its fair share of balmy weather in the past few weeks. Many students were spotted wearing tank tops and skirts on Election Day, which is a problematic outfit to wear a week into November– regardless of who you voted for.

Conn students are no strangers to odd weather. The Class of 2027 remembers the infamous orientation heat wave of September 2023, followed by months of excessively cold and windy weather marked by only one major snowfall. Although the weather has been more consistent this fall semester, it has been absolutely tropical, considering the school is less than three weeks out from winter break. The Mystic Seaport has also experienced flooding in the areas closer to sea level, with several businesses and homes facing accessibility issues as a result. Conn is the only NESCAC school with a waterfront, also making it the only institution in the conference susceptible to major issues because of rising sea levels. 

This begs larger questions of the state of the environment in the New London area, and greater Connecticut/New England. With Hurricanes Helene and Milton having decimated the southern coast as of late, climate change has been nationally discussed as an ever-pressing issue for the U.S. and beyond. 

A report recently published by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection highlighted these growing issues for the southernmost New England state. 61% of Connecticut’s 3.6 million people live in coastal communities that have experienced consistent flooding over the past few years, with an additional 30% working in coastal communities. This flooding could pose a threat to the local economy, if businesses are rendered unable to operate and serve the community due to physical damage from natural disasters. Climate change also poses a personnel issue, as people moving away from coastal communities and being unable to make it to their jobs consistently may add to preexisting workforce shortages. This may cause complications with working class cities not being able to rebuild as quickly, and coastal locations such as New Haven and New London not being able to evacuate effectively in case of a climate emergency. 

This coastal flooding also poses a threat to public transportation systems, as much of southern Connecticut’s Amtrak system operates right along the coast. This could complicate service to commuter destinations of Boston and New York, hurting the efficiency of communities far outside that of New London. 

Reports indicate that Connecticut’s sea level could rise by over 18 inches in 2050, rising to well over 3 feet in the next 50 years if current levels of climate action are continued. This poses a threat to the diverse wildlife of the area, notably the Saltmarsh Sparrow, which is on the verge of extinction due to flooding affecting where the bird can nest safely. As beaches erode and coastal wetlands become fully submerged over time, entire biomes could become wiped out along with the species that have marsh habitats critical to their survival. Increased precipitation along the shoreline has also contributed to warming river temperatures, harming aquatic animals. Especially considering New London’s proximity to water, this could spell disaster for fish and other species of the Thames river. 

This could also cause a public health disaster for the state, as poor air quality from fossil fuel emissions coupled with contaminated water could increase the incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, as well as other illnesses caused by chemicals in the floodwaters.

The Connecticut Department of Energy has outlined their plan to effectively combat these potential issues. The State of Connecticut is currently prioritizing carbon sequestration and storage, a process that involves protecting native tree environments and other natural resources. The state is also looking to prioritize clean and sustainable forms of public transportation across the coast, as well as eco-friendly residential buildings capable of generating their own energy.

Connecticut undoubtedly has a way to go, even being one of the more environmentally friendly states. Additionally, as a coastal state, CT and the New London area face one of the taller tasks in the nation. However, the Department of Energy and their affiliates will undoubtedly be able to tackle challenges as they come their way, for the future of a more sustainable country.

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