Jan 14, 6:00 PM: Social And Biological Impacts Of Rising Seas And Reduced Lake Levels

Program Location: Shedd Aquarium, auditorium 1200 S Lake Shore Drive on the museum campus Bus transport from Pick Hall (5828 S. University Ave) to the Shedd will leave at 5:15pm and return at 8pm. Introduction by Tara Massad, Henry Chandler Cowles Lecturer, Environmental Studies Program, University of Chicago Introduction by Tara Massad, Henry Chandler Cowles Lecturer, Environmental Studies Program, University of Chicago Rising seas and surging storms: Analysis of a present and growing threat to… Show more America's coasts Ben Strauss, COO and Director of the Program on Sea Level Rise, Climate Central Warming-driven sea level rise,measured in inches, has already doubled the chance of extreme coastal floodingat sites around the U.S. Accelerating rise, soon to be measured in feet, willamplify risks much further, and quickly in places. This talk will share thelatest global and local projections, and give a tour of what they could meanall around the nation. Of Storms and Surges: Sea Level Rise and Population: Displacement and Resettlement Anthony Oliver-Smith, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Florida The talk will explore the potentialfor significant population displacement resulting from sea level rise driven byglobal climate change. However, the issues associated with specific conditionsof local vulnerability make precise predictions challenging. Moreover,population resettlement brings with it significant risks of its own andpresents problematic scenarios of reducing exposure, but increasing impoverishment and vulnerability. Great Lakes Lows: causes, impacts, and future projections for lake levels Phil Willink, Senior Research Biologist, Shedd Aquarium The people and wildlife of the Great Lakes region are bound inextricably by our dependence on the area's aquatic ecosystems. In 2012, Lake Michigan approached near-historic low levels. What causes lake level fluctuations, and what biological and economic impacts might we anticipate in the future? Cosponsored by the Center for International Studies, the Program on the Global Environment, and the Shedd Aquarium. Please see the event webpage for more information.

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