on leap day, the winter-scrubbed sand stood only a few feet wide on some areas of the beach. the lake sparkled under the late winter sun and snow mounded on the shoreline. norris guessed that lee street beach is about a third of its original size.

“the lakefront is the most important thing in evanston,” she said, sitting on a bench near the beach and holding her dog with a leash. “it’s already destroyed and i can’t imagine it’s going to get any better.”

norris predicts that lee street beach will be cramped this summer with the beach space so diminished.

“it’s going to be so crowded,” she said. “i don’t know where people are going to go.”

lake michigan and lake huron’s average lake level for february reached a record height this year, according to the u.s. army corps of engineers. the high level and pounding waves are eroding beaches in chicago and other cities hugging the great lakes.

some 768 miles southeast of evanston, the area surrounding beaufort, south carolina, is also in a battle with shrinking beachfronts as the atlantic ocean rises.

governments in beaufort and evanston are making plans to deal with the rising waters and other impacts of climate change. global warming due to fossil fuel emissions is making the ocean expand and melting ice sheets and glaciers are causing sea level rise, according to noaa. lake michigan’s water level will continue to rise and fall. but the maximum lake level will increase and the minimum lake level will decrease, according to kumar jensen, chief sustainability and resilience officer for the city of evanston.

the two cities are experiencing earth’s warming in different ways, as beaufort will have to deal with atlantic ocean hurricanes, while evanston will weather severe rainfall. both areas are considering how to combat beach erosion and planning to fix strained storm water systems.

fighting beach erosion or letting it be

evanston’s lee street beach is one of many in the chicago area that has decreased in size. evanston’s dog beach went under water a few years ago and has stayed there.

“even things like our dog beach and places along the chicago shoreline have not dealt well with just the lake levels being higher,” jensen said. “a lot of infrastructure is hidden or has been submerged.”

he said the lake level along the evanston shore has about a six-foot range, but the range will become more extreme in the future. lake levels reached record lows only a few years ago in 2013, suggesting unpredictable swings at a time when suburbs inland from the lake shore are running out of well water and would like to put a straw in the lake.

jensen said there is “not a ton” the city can do to expand the beaches, except if it were able to move them inward — an option the city is not considering. sidewalks and roads lie near evanston’s beaches, offering little room for expansion. evanston has added sand to the beaches in the past, he said, but not because of rising lake levels. the city has replaced sand that eroded, carried away by the currents to indiana and michigan — a process that occurs even when the water level is low. but the massive scale of submerging shore is something new.

lara biggs, the engineering and capital planning bureau chief for the city of evanston, told the city council in february that rock walls on beaches in evanston have lost height, as rocks slip into the lake. evanston was considering hiring a coastal engineering firm to assess the shoreline problems, she said. kimberly kull, division chief of emergency management and logistics for the evanston fire department, said at the city council meeting that it would take an estimated $5.78 million to fix the rock walls.

south carolina’s beaches are shrinking quickly as well. hunting island state park beach, 14 miles from beaufort, loses about 15 feet of sand a year on average because of erosion, according to park manager j.w. weatherford. he said wind and jet streams cause the erosion, along with storms. hunting island is a barrier island, which means that it sits next to the ocean and shields inland areas from storms.

the park adds more sand to its beach every 10 years, a process called beach renourishment. it costs the park $8 million each time. the new sand dunes prevent the island’s bathrooms and parking lots from flooding, according to weatherford. in mid-february, the sand was almost as tall as a person, as the park was raising the beach level.

weatherford said the park “renourishes” the beach so south carolina residents and tourists can still access it. beaches contribute to the local economy, as beach visitors stay at hotels, for example.

“the entire county is built off of the economy of the beaches,” weatherford said.

preparing stormwater systems for increased rain

it’s not only beaches that are seeing the effects of climate change. beaufort’s mossy oaks neighborhood occupies an 800-acre floodplain, said billy keyserling, the city’s mayor. many houses have sprung up in the neighborhood over the years, and the stormwater system cannot accommodate all of the buildings.

“they never anticipated that kind of number of houses,” keyserling said.

the city is experiencing higher tides and more frequent rain events, said rikki parker, the former south coast office director and legal analyst for the coastal conservation league. when there is both a high tide and rain in mossy oaks, water floods out of the neighborhood’s drainage ditches and ponds, and enters streets and people’s homes.

“mossy oaks … has suffered significantly over the past four years,” she said. “we have homes that have been repeat-flooded four or five times over the past four years.”

the city is conducting an approximately $6 million engineering project in mossy oaks, according to matt st. clair, public projects and facilities director for the city of beaufort. in the first phase of the project, the city cleaned out a canal — holding dirt, shopping carts and other items — so it could hold more water. st. clair said in the second phase, which will start this year, they will enlarge drainage pipes and repair roads that are affected by the pipe work. they will also construct five flood gates in the neighborhood.

the flood gates will separate catch basins, which are similar to ponds. before a high rain event, the city will lower the amount of water in the catch basins, st. clair said. they will also close the flood gates, which will prevent tidal water from entering the basins. only rainwater will enter the ponds.

“with the installation of the flood gates, we’ll be able to control … that tidal water trying to come in, as well as allow the water to come out,” st. clair explained.

jensen said evanston also faces more extreme storms in the future. the chicago area is confronting them already with swollen rivers flooding homes and roads. richard b. rood, a professor in the university of michigan’s department of climate and space sciences and engineering, said winter storms in illinois will likely be “much, much wetter,” and severe summer storms might bring “very extraordinary precipitation.”

rood said a larger percentage of yearly rain will occur during extreme rain events. climate change will warm the air, and warm air can store more water vapor. the ground will also warm and more of its water will evaporate. the increasing water vapor in the air will lead to rain — lots of rain.

hal sprague, president of citizens’ greener evanston, said flooding from rain is one of the main issues that evanston will have to face when building resilience to climate change. he said that some pipes in the city were built a century ago. evanston has both a combined sewer system, which holds both sewage and stormwater, and a newer, separate stormwater system.

during heavy rain events, sewage and rainwater used to backup into some residents’ basements, sprague said. in response, the city spent about $210 million updating its sewer system from 1991 to 2008, which included constructing a relief sewer system, according to the city of evanston. the system sends excess water to a network of artificial rivers called the deep tunnel, constructed beneath the entire chicago metropolitan area.

in 2018, evanston passed a climate action and resilience plan, and one element of the plan is to improve storm water systems. jensen said the city hired a consultant to conduct a stormwater utility analysis, in which they’ll learn where water ends up in the city during rain events and how much rain different stormwater systems can take. evanston can then determine which infrastructure needs to be upgraded, he said.

some cities and university campuses aim to stop using fossil fuels by mid-century, which would reduce global carbon dioxide emissions and help prevent further sea level rise. sprague said it will be hard for evanston to meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, however.

“if we’re going to have almost an impossible job here when we are trying our hardest to do it, and the other, you know, a million cities aren’t even trying, how are we going to solve climate change?” he asked.

he said the federal government could help solve climate change.

“if we were to have a federal government that would take it seriously, tell everybody that it’s a problem and start … changing the laws and giving incentives to people to make the behavioral change, it would go a lot faster,” he said.

maura turcotte contributed reporting to this article. 

another county-wide effort to promote healthier citizens and environment is the orange county food council, which seeks to raise awareness of food insecurity in one of the wealthiest counties in the state, and provide direction in navigating those community resources that provide relief. formed in 2016 as a response to community requests, the council operates on many several fronts, including promoting economic partnerships among local farmers and businesses and connecting food-insecure populations with assistance. 

mayor tom stevens of hillsborough, the seat of orange county, believes that such initiatives do not exist in a vacuum, but actively inform each other and contribute to a holistic vision of health and wellbeing for citizens and the environment that we share. 

my dad clearly felt the same way. he would get this resigned look when preparing to call someone, postponing as long as possible, and finally holding the phone pensively. in an ever changing world, i took my dad’s phone-phobia as a given.

except now my dad makes a lot of phone calls. and he answers them, too. 

he’s not a scientist, but understands evidence, and climate change. he’s a true alaskan—a cultural geographer by training, but also a gardener, a sailor, and a woodsman. he knows and cares for the land on which he lives. and caring a lot about something can push someone to do scary things.

now he is on the phone talking about heat pumps. 

not just heat pumps. he spends a lot of time on the landline (no smart phones for him yet) talking about electric vehicles, too, and committee meetings, fundraising, and our town’s potential to become a national leader on local sustainability. 

my dad is one of three founders of renewable juneau, which advocates for climate sanity, economic vitality, and quality of life for alaska’s capital city. born in 2016, renewable juneau supports local, renewable energy, and disseminates practical information about sustainability in juneau, providing workshops and brochures such as “renewable juneau’s guide to heat pumps in juneau” and “renewable juneau’s brief guide to buying a used nissan leaf.” such guides are welcomed, and evs are booming; the number of evs in juneau more than doubled in 2017, to over 200.  this gives my hometown, with around 30,000 residents, one of the nation’s highest per capita rates of ev ownership.

but renewable juneau is more than an ev advocate. it is serving as a catalyst for an ambitious local aim: 80% renewable energy in juneau by 2045. 

“juneau can choose to take local climate action and improve our economy at the same time,” my dad explains. “we can use our abundant rainfall and hydroelectricity to shift away from fossil fuels for heating our homes and powering our cars.” 

my dad’s organization believes that juneau is poised to take national leadership on cutting fossil fuel use. perched between the mountains and ice fields of coastal southeast alaska and the sea, the city is already powered by local, fish-friendly hydropower. “we’ve had 100% renewable electricity for a hundred years,” renewable juneau’s website proudly declares.  but my father emphasizes the need for improvement:  “folks purchase fossil fuels for much of our town’s transportation and heating needs, which is why we have been advocating for the renewable energy strategy.” 

juneau’s isolation, with no road access, makes the costs of bringing fuel into the city high—$140 million a year to import fossil fuels, according to the strategy. so not only does the strategy make sense environmentally, it also makes economic sense. renewable juneau has advocated for the strategy by rallying local businesses to sign on as clean energy supporters. the group’s original goal was “80 for 80”—80 businesses supporting an 80 percent renewable energy future. shortly after calling for partners, they were at 105 businesses and counting. in a city juneau’s size, that represents a significant portion of the local economy. clean energy supporters span juneau’s unique economy; commercial fishing vessels are listed alongside premier architecture and engineering firms, and law firms, medical centers and wilderness tour companies intermix with plumbers and bars. despite their different niches, all acknowledge the importance of weaning juneau from fossil fuels. 

even through i am now studying on the other side of the country, i stay abreast of the call for local government action back home. it would be hard not to—most phone conversations with my mother these days feature her slightly bemused observations (“your dad’s off to another meeting” or “he’s been talking on the phone all morning”), followed by an update on supportive businesses or recalcitrant assembly members. it seems that for every two steps forward there’s a icy slide backwards, but despite frustrating days and phone calls that go in unexpected directions, my dad keeps educating folks about heat pumps and evs, and continues gathering support.

the momentum is working. in january, a key city committee approved the strategy, moving it on to the full assembly. despite earlier concerns from several members over possible economic impacts, committee recommendation was unanimous. another step forward.

juneau is a small city; reducing its fossil fuel use hardly makes a shift on a national graph of hydrocarbon consumption. “but as alaska’s capital, and as host to a million cruise ship visitors annually, we have the potential to have a large impact nationally,” my dad emphasizes.

i take inspiration from the people in my hometown who have a vision of a fossil fuel free future, and who have the guts to work and make the phone calls and spread the conviction that will make it happen. these men and women know that focusing on the hydropower with which southeast alaska has been blessed is the economically healthy option, and they are not ashamed to dream that juneau could be a national leader in and example for sustainable success.

my dad just called: “the assembly adopted the strategy tonight — it was unanimous!” he’s overjoyed. he knows that many trying days and phone calls await as our town makes the strategy a reality and becomes an 80% renewable capital city, but this good fight is won. i heard the twinkle in his eyes even over the phone as he recounted the victory, and i am proud to be his daughter. 

however, it seems that many state and local politicians in the united states still intend on confronting climate change, even if the federal government is falling short. governors from washington, california, and new york have pulled together to form the u.s climate alliance. the alliance now has 13 u.s. states plus puerto rico, who are committed to upholding the stipulations agreed upon in the paris climate agreement.

for environmentalists, this is inspiring news. according to the official u.s climate alliance website, the alliance represents 1/3 of the u.s. population, contributes $7.6 trillion to u.s. gdp, and represents 1.3 million clean energy jobs. the alliance has stated that it is “committed to supporting the international agreement, and are pursuing aggressive climate action to make progress toward its goals.”

what does this mean in regards to climate change?

as laid out in the paris climate agreement, the central goal demands: “holding the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 degrees c above pre-industrial levels…” the agreement stipulates that each country come up with its own plan to combat climate change, with the united nations periodically meeting to keep countries on track with the global goal.

under the obama administration, the united states had specified that it planned on cutting domestic greenhouse gas emissions between 26-28% of 2005 levels by the year 2025. the united states also agreed to deliver $3 billion in aid to less-developed countries to assist them in reaching their climate goals. according to the new york times, the united states has already paid $1 billion of the pledged aid.

however if the trump administration does carry-through with its withdrawal, rhodium group has estimated that under trump, the united states is still expected to see a 17-19% decrease in emissions from 2005 levels.

local governments taking action

the actions by the trump administration aren’t stopping state officials from taking global action. jerry brown, governor of california went to china in early june to discuss climate change with president xi jinping.

during the six day trip, governor brown visited the provinces of jiangsu and sichuan before making his way to beijing for the clean energy ministerial conference. the conference unites both private and public delegations to focus on solutions towards three key goals: improve energy efficiency, enhance clean energy supply, and expand clean energy access.

the meeting between governor brown and president jinping demonstrates that china is now regarding climate change as a serious threat and is determined to work with the global community, even if the trump administration is not.

governor cuomo of new york is partnering with the worker institute at cornell university, to work towards the creation of 40,000 clean energy jobs by 2020. this is in an effort to achieve the statewide goal of reaching 50% of electricity from renewables by 2030. you can check out new york’s full initiative program here.

corporations taking the lead

support for action on climate change doesn’t stop at the state level. shortly after the trump administration’s announcement, a group called we are still in was formed. this group consists of 2,200 leaders around the country from city halls, state houses, boardrooms, and college campuses. we are still in represents leaders who are committed to upholding the agreements set forth in the paris climate accord.

here’s what hannah jones, the vice president of nike had to say: “we are deeply disappointed by the recent shift in climate policy…we will continue to honor our commitments on climate, including reaching 100% renewable energy in all nike owned or operated facilities around the world by 2025.”

we reached out to new york’s erie county executive, mark poloncarz a signatory of we are still in. we asked what efforts erie county is making to reach the 26-28% decrease in carbon output: “currently 70% of electricity that is generated in erie county comes from hydroelectric sources, so our goal has always been to have more renewable energy sources not just for county government but for our residents.”

the county executive said that the county is aiming towards making its facilities more environmentally friendly. some of the efforts include making county buildings more energy efficient and installing solar panels. poloncarz also indicated that they now purchase more energy efficient vehicles. 

it is enlightening news to hear that state and local governments are stepping up to combat climate change. we often forget the impact our state and local actions can have on the world. as more people begin to understand the threats of climate change, it seems inevitable that local and state governments are going to act in the effort to create a sustainable world.  mark poloncarz ended with hopeful statement: “if the federal government is not going to act, local governments can, and they do have the power to make a difference so that’s what we’re doing.”

he and other cop21 attendees, including fellow guest speaker des moines, iowa, mayor frank cownie, gathered on jan. 19 to debrief at holland & knight’s washington, d.c., offices.

diringer said the delegates drew on lessons and experiences of the past 20 years, and represented a “hybrid approach” to the problem, drawing on national and local governments and well as “non-state actors.” while he hesitated to call the agreement “historic,” as time will tell, he did say the signatories  “emerged with a genuine sense of accomplishment.”

the first planet forward salon of the year focused on the agreement’s next steps: how will it affect us and the future of our cities, worldwide?

diringer pointed out three major takeaways that he felt would affect both cities and local governments.

first, the agreement establishes a “multilateral structure” to taking on climate change.

“the major factor that will drive the overall process is a new level of transparency,” he said, through data, evaluation and meetings every five years. this will instill a greater confidence that everyone is pitching in their fair share. he referred to this as a “cycle of ambition,” which will drive processes and accomplishments — because agreements aren’t enough.

second, “cop21 resulted in a commitment for a ‘nationally determined contribution’” that will drive countries to put policies into place that will help them achieve their goals.

third, is the signal that the success at cop21 clearly sent, worldwide.

“it is a signal, a message, that these targets are now accepted, agreed upon and should drive decision-making,” he said. the question now, diringer said, is “does it affect how prepared we are to act? and how will it shape politics from a national level to city councils?”

as someone leading on the local level — and a signatory on the 2014 compact of mayors — mayor cownie reinforced the goals and ambitions he has stated for des moines. the city’s aiming for a 25% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and 50% by 2050 — though cownie said he’s “hoping to be net zero by 2050.”

“we have to do something,” cownie said. “and we’ve got to respond right now.”

cownie also addressed concerns over the politicization of the terms “sustainability” and “climate change.”

“one of my fears is, at the local level, we try to operate as nonpartisan,” said cownie, a democrat. but what happens when we elect the next president, or our next mayor — and their vision doesn’t align with the efforts of the current leader, he said.

“as voters, we need to elect those who will support these (environmental) initiatives,” cownie said.

public discourse is also conducted with that nonpartisan angle. “it’s an education process; i talk about our local initiatives,” he said. “i don’t use ‘sustainability’ exactly,” but climate events, such as floods, and water quality are things that will get people to listen, cownie said.

“it’s interesting how we need to run away from the issue to run toward it,” said frank sesno, the chief executive for planet forward and director of george washington university’s school of media and public affairs, referring to how the use of particular language needs to be limited in order to achieve positive environmental outcomes.

while several other issues were discussed at this salon, the representatives agreed that one of the biggest takeaways from cop21 was that environmental concerns should be handled from the bottom-up rather than top-down. this means that these concerns should be initially addressed by local citizens and governments, rather than the federal government.

the paris agreement was a major moment, diringer said. “it is a huge step forward.”

but “we need to stop making this a partisan issue and do what we need to do. especially for young people,” said beth viola, the board chair at planet forward and senior policy advisor at holland & knight. “it’s up to you guys.”

planet forward staff contributed to this report.

(mayor frank cownie of des moines, iowa, speaks at the salon on tuesday, jan. 19. fellow guest speaker elliot diringer, the executive vice president of the center for climate and energy solutions, sits on cownie’s right. / photo by devin greene)

there would be no problems with fish or warming water or low water flow as we currently have with dams, lakes, and spillways.