Forum addresses challenges of rising sea levels for waterfront businesses

The Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy will host a public forum Tuesday, Dec. 9 as part of the 13th annual Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium. “Staying Afloat: Adapting Waterfront Communities to Rising Seas and Extreme Storms” will be held at 6 p.m. in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall.

• RSVP for the forum.

During the forum, three speakers will discuss the challenges of rising sea levels for waterfront businesses and how businesses can implement strategies to prevent or minimize damage. They include:

• John Englander, an oceanographer, consultant and sea level rise expert, who will offer an informed perspective on the challenges that waterfront communities and businesses are likely to face in coming years.
• Lisa Konicki, executive director of the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce, who will discuss how businesses in Westerly responded to Hurricane Sandy.
• Malcolm Spaulding, professor emeritus at the University of Rhode Island, who will provide an overview of STORMTOOLS, a suite of coastal planning tools that allow Rhode Island to select particular coastal locations and view high-resolution images related to projected storm surges, sea-level rise and coastal changes.

The Ronald C. Baird Sea Grant Science Symposium focuses on minimizing impacts to waterfront business, and the shores where they are situated, in the face of increasing threats from extreme storms and rising seas. More information.