By Marjorie Kaplan, Lisa Auermuller and Jeanne Herb
As we approach the seventh anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, we are asked – as we have been every autumn since 2012 — “Are we better prepared for the next Sandy?” Our answer: In some places and with respect to some structures and systems, we probably are, but in many others we are not or we won’t know until the next big storm.
MORE: Find all the essays in this series at nj.com/sea-rise.
We have been working together on issues related to preparedness in the face of sea-level rise in New Jersey since before Superstorm Sandy, but that seminal event provided an opportunity to further our applied research and advance a dialogue on an issue that, even post-Sandy, some policymakers and elected officials still shy away from.
Rutgers, with a mission of service to New Jersey, is in a unique position to provide continuity to address the factual realities of climate change independent of politics. As “pracademics” – or academicians who also are practitioners – we translate science to inform policy and action for local communities as well as specific sectors of society that are affected by sea-level rise.