1998 Year of the Ocean Impacts of Global Climate Change 



Development of programs to more effectively utilize the data and observations we 

 have available now through such mechanisms as improved data assimilation by 

 models and more effective merging of in situ and remote sensing technologies. 



Conduct the research necessary to understand the global carbon cycle on a high 

 temporal resolution (i.e., on the order of a decade) scale. 



GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON U.S. COASTAL AREAS 



Introductory Considerations 



The United States has one of the longest and most diverse coastlines in the world — about 

 158,000 kilometers (95,439 miles) of tidal shoreline in coastal areas and the Great Lakes — and 

 with characteristics as different as the locations of Alaska, Florida, California, and American 

 Samoa. About 94,400 kilometers (59,000 miles) of this shoreline lie around the conterminous 

 United States, bounding some of the most valuable and heavily used coastal areas in the world 

 that could be affected by climate change. Within these coastal areas lie about 38,900 square 

 kilometers (15,000 square miles) of coastal wetlands and 6,500 square kilometers (2,500 square 

 miles) of developed barrier islands. The wetlands provide habitat for numerous species of birds, 

 are a nursery ground for many commercial fish and shellfish; play a vital role in extracting 

 nutrients and toxic chemicals from water; and provide a buffer against coastal storms. The 

 developed barrier islands are primarily recreational communities. 



U.S. coastal areas support a variety of important economic activities, including fisheries 

 and aquaculture, tourism, recreation, industry, and transportation. Coastal fisheries, for example, 

 produce about $3 billion in revenue to fishermen and generate $38 billion in economic activity 

 nationally per annum. Seventeen million Americans who enjoy recreational fishing, generate an 

 estimated $18 billion in economic activity. Over 85 percent of travel and tourism revenues are 

 generated in coastal states. In Hawaii, seven million tourists generate $9.1 billion in revenue, and 

 in Florida, 21.6 million tourists spend $7.9 billion and generate over 360,000 jobs mainly due to 

 the attraction of Florida's coasts. 



Current Stresses on Coastal Resources 



U.S. coastal areas are experiencing greatly increased pressures as a result of rapid 

 population growth and accompanying development. Population growth in U.S. coastal areas is 

 higher than anywhere else in the country. At present, more than 50 percent of the population 

 lives within 130 kilometers (80 miles) of an ocean or Great Lake and population densities within 

 U.S. coastal areas are five times the national average. 



The effects of climate change would add to stresses that already affect coastal areas. An 

 estimated 40 percent of estuarine and coastal waters is not "fishable or swimmable," primarily 

 because of nutrients and bacteria from urban and agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater 



G-24 



