How vulnerable is Maine's coast to climate change? | Maine Explained

Many coastal communities were impacted by several major storms during the winter of 2024. That’s put a spotlight on a major question facing the state: just how vulnerable is Maine’s coast to a warming world, and what steps do we need to take to prepare? That’s what we dive into in this episode of Maine Explained.
Correction: At 02:50 in the video, we refer to Susie Arnold as a climatologist. Arnold is not a climatologist with a climatology degree, but a marine biologist by training who has been working on ocean climate change for 12 years.
You can head to here to look at flood insurance rate maps for much of southern Maine: maine.maps.arcgis.com/apps/we...
You can also use this tool from FEMA to assess flood risks at a specific location: msc.fema.gov/portal/search?Ad...
This "Coastal Risk Explorer" tool, from the Nature Conservancy, shows the potential effects of sea level rise on many of the state's coastal roadways: www.maps.tnc.org/maine/coasta...
And this memo provides more detail on Pete Slovinsky's "DAAPR" method for responding to storms and sea level rise across the coast. It also helps to break down some of the complicated jargon inside flood maps: www.southportland.gov/Documen...
Love what you see on Maine Public's TH-cam channel? Like, comment, and support your local public media station by donating at mainepublic.org/donateyoutube
Production Credits:
Robbie Feinberg - Host, Writer
Esta Pratt-Kielley - Supervising Producer, Writer and Video Editor
Nik Sparlin - Video Editor, Motion Graphics and Logo Designer
Lucy Santerre - Marketing and Promotion Support
Mark Simpson - Director of News and Public Affairs
Andrew Catalina - News Editor
Footage by Esta Pratt-Kielley
Additional footage: Carol Bousquet and Doug Lund-Yates
Additional Materials: Maine Floodplain Management Program, Eastern Research Group Inc., The Nature Conservancy in Maine, Scarborough Historical Society, and Regency Realty Group
Music: De Wolfe Music Production Library
Maine Explained is a Maine Public production.

[@MurasakiOnca]

The storms were terrifying. I'd never seen flooding like that. 1987 was the last time my area had a flood like that.

[@barryg.291]

Pretty much common sense here. Adapt...or not. You want to live right on or near the coast...make plans now. Do not depend on government or insurance to bail out your investment. Don't tell me you didn't think about storm damage or even a complete wipeout before you built or bought your property. Those that were handed down family property and businesses along the water, have been hearing for years, decades that the possibility of this occurring was increasing. Adapt, deal with it, or give it up, but don't ask me to fund your lifestyle.