As the East Coast readies for fall king tides — the highest high and lowest low tides of the year — two organizations that track the related flooding are encouraging volunteers to submit observations via smartphone apps.
Climate Change
Oral histories hold key to recording environmental change
A rising junior at UNC Chapel Hill, Tara Hinton has spent her summer listening to oral histories and researching how Down East Carteret County residents are responding to changes in the environment.
Ghost forest education focal point of public science project
A public science project at Cape Lookout National Seashore is part of a bigger communication effort to have a conversation about what ghost forests represent.
Nature-based solutions get support from White House
Two authors of the White House resiliency report and EPA and NOAA officials went online last week to explain the strategies and how they’ll shape agency planning.
Tools, partnerships aim to help shellfish growers adapt
Climate change is affecting aquaculture, but state and federal agencies are developing new tools for farmers.
Researchers say get ready for more floods, contamination
Duke University environmental scientists urge communities to begin long-term planning for the increase in flooding and resulting pollution during extreme storms made worse by climate change.
High heat exposure overnight can cause health issues
Extreme heat exposure overnight for those who do not have access to or can’t afford air conditioning can lead to heat-related illness, climate experts say.
Coastal governments get $1.14 million for climate resilience
The funding supports work to help coastal communities mitigate and adapt to the increasingly intense natural hazards of a warming planet.
Offshore wind turbine impacts a trade-off, panelists say
Construction of wind turbines off the North Carolina coast could affect birds and marine life, and while scientists and others seek more information on the extent of those effects, those who spoke during a forum last week in Wilmington said climate change is likely a greater threat.
Supreme Court ruling will not stop NC’s required CO2 cuts
But the recent 6-3 decision limiting EPA authority to address climate change has broader national implications that will affect the Tar Heel State, environmental law experts say.
Research network to link environmental, social sciences
Researchers, with recent funding from the National Science Foundation, are working to bring forward voices from rural, poorer coastal NC communities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Climate change sharpens focus on NC farms’ soil quality
As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase, the threats to agricultural yields of NC staples such as soybeans, corn and sweet potatoes increase.
Jockey’s Ridge joining real-time weather data network
ECOnet, an online weather and soil data program through the State Climate Office of North Carolina, will soon be able to collect information from Jockey’s Ridge State Park, the first of the program’s weather stations on the Outer Banks.
Topsail Island towns begin work on new resiliency effort
North Topsail Beach, Surf City and Topsail Beach held their first public meeting Wednesday to begin the process of identifying a coastal resilience project using nature-based solutions and state funding to benefit all three towns.
Estuaries, though small, have huge economic impact: report
These small areas where rivers mix with salt water in coastal regions contribute a significant amount to the country’s economy, according to a recent update to a decade-old report on the economics of estuaries.
NC Will Pay for Climate Inaction: Report
A new report shows that the effects of climate change will significantly cost state residents and the economy over the next three decades without urgent action to curb climate-warming pollution.
