It is time to prepare for climate change effects

It seems that almost everyone writing about climate change admits that there is no way, no matter what mitigating actions are taken, no matter how much money is thrown at the problem, that we can reach the goal of preventing significant climate change effects.

There has been so much written on this subject that I see no point in regurgitating or summarizing any of that. Taking our ultimate failure to prevent significant effects of climate change as fact, it is time to spend some of the massive amounts of money proposed for preventative actions, on dealing with climate change effects, while developing more useful infrastructure and restoration of natural areas. Some such actions might even produce desirable climate and environmental effects beyond what can be achieved by restriction of environmental emissions.

Here are a few of my ideas, which I'm sure will be attacked as impractical and too expensive. The same can be said for all the current proposals for reducing CO2. These proposals can be funded by national governments, local and state governments, and private industry, maybe with programs similar to the Great Depression Era programs in the US, such as the CCC.

1. Desalination plants along seashores. Many nations have significant seashores, where water desalination facilities can be built. Some might even be built offshore. Maybe use some of the proposed offshore wind farms to power those plants and pump fresh water to shore. Solar desalination plants are also a possibility. There are plenty of places, where fresh water supplies are lacking. When the needs for fresh water for communities along the shorelines are met, continue adding facilities, pipe the excess water inland, fill exiting and new reservoirs for inland supplies. The power to move the water can be via windmill and/or solar and/or gravity. Use the new supplies of fresh water to green up arid lands. Plants, grasses, trees, and agricultural production can reduce CO2, induce more local rains and reduce local temperatures. Eastern Nebraska corn farmers and modern cultivation practices have produced such changes that have been scientifically verified.
2. Reduce seashore development. Stop allowing new homes and commercial facilities to be built close to shorelines. These tend to get wiped out periodically by storms, which many say are more frequent and stronger due to climate change. When new storm destruction occurs, do not allow reconstruction and require restoration of the seashore area to a natural condition. Restoration of wetlands, marches and natural seashores can reduce storm strength before it reaches populated inland areas.
3. Improved management of excess rainfalls. Improve flood management, reduce development in flood plains. Create more flood control reservoirs and distribute excess rainfall to areas that need the water.
4. Fresh water from seawater, pumped inland can restore flow rates of inland rivers, where the natural flow has been restricted by dams, resulting in restoration of natural areas along the rivers.

I'm sure there are plenty of brilliant people out there that can come up with ways to implement such ideas and come up with better ideas. Lets implement positive actions not just negative ones. Getting people, especially governments, to take action is always the biggest challenge. Maybe we can push them along.

I just read an article about the serious drought in the western US. It is expected to continue for years. So why not start doing something about it. We know the cure for drought. Water. Texas, California, Oregon and Washington (state) have long seashores. These states can begin implementation of desalination plants anytime they please. Now would be a good time.

Also, California has the Salton Sea, a saltwater body that has been drying up for decades. Why not just pipe salt water into it? It was a tourist attraction before it began to dry up. It could be returned to one. Yes, the water will probably continue to evaporate from the Salton Sea, but the water vapor will return as precipitation somewhere, probably somewhere over the western US, where it is needed.

And remember, according to the climate change predictions we are going to have an excess of sea water. Let's make use of the some of the excess. There are other dry lake beds in California that may also be candidates for such refilling.

And do not forget the Great Salt Lake. It is also drying up. We can refill it and maybe that will have a positive effect upon the western US climate.