Possible Solutions to California's Changing Coastline from Sea Level Rise

The future of the Earth is uncertain, with rising temperatures, a growing global population, and melting glaciers. These are just a few of the factors of climate change that may indicate what the future holds, along with potential consequences, such as rising sea levels and increased coastline erosion. Although the future of climate change is uncertain, it is undeniable that homes, public infrastructure, and people’s livelihoods remain at risk. This research paper assesses the effects of climate change and sea level rise on prominent California coastal landforms such as sandy beaches, bluffs, and estuaries. The framework of soft solutions, hard solutions, and managed retreat solutions is utilized to provide insight on conservation options for the three landforms along the California coast. This paper provides background information on each landform, how the terrain has been impacted by erosion, and how certain communities are responding to sea level rise. For each landform, the paper analyzes what solutions have already been put in place, presents examples of successful California locations, offers several options of solutions for the immediate future, then transitions into a broader discussion about the long-term future of the California coast and its implications among residents. This paper is not meant to take a comprehensive look at every contributing variable, but considers multiple factors when discussing possible solution options. Ultimately, this paper finds that managed retreat is the most ideal solution for sandy beaches, hard solutions are optimal for bluffs, and soft solutions work best for estuaries. However, it argues that managed retreat should still be considered as a fallback solution for each landform when hard and soft solutions fall short.