Many residents are forced to protect their homes from the sea with flood protection projects. In fact, there are not a few who moved to the interior of the State for security reasons. Environmentalists are looking for long-term solutions to the problem. The future, however, looks bleak. At Money Island Marina, between the states of Delaware and New Jersey, on the east coast of the US, environmental groups have installed large coconut mats to prevent erosion and flooding due to rising sea levels.

Activist Shane Godshall of the American Littoral Society says that there were once homes on the coasts of the area, which were demolished to make way for necessary levees: “A lot of coastal cities are dealing with flooding on a regular basis. In the worst case they will be hit by a storm and at the same time by a strong flood. Then significant problems will arise.”

Sea level is rising rapidly

The state authorities are aware of the situation. At the Baywood club in the town of Millsboro, scientists and residents discuss how best to deal with the danger. Danielle Swallow from the research group Delaware Sea Grant explains why the East Coast of the US is being hit so hard by climate change: “The state of Delaware is right at sea level. At the same time, the sea level is rising twice as fast as the global average. For this reason we are experiencing more and more frequent flooding in roads and plots. The risk of flooding is great.”

It is estimated that by 2030 sea levels will rise a further 30cm, adds Danielle Swallow. This means that not only will entire areas be lost, but that coastal areas will be damaged by floods more often. And it’s not just the flooding from the Atlantic. After rains, rivers and tributaries often swell, resulting in roads and entire areas being flooded for days.