Climate Adaptation: Rising Tides in Coastal Cities
Provided by: Council on Foreign Relations|Published on: January 24, 2024|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Podcasts
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Geography
Authors: Council on Foreign Relations
Location: Earth, North America, North America > United States, North America > United States > Florida, North America > United States > New York, North America > United States > New York > New York, North America > United States > Texas
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This podcast details impacts and strategies for at-risk countries and cities worldwide, including New York City, the Netherlands, Miami, Bangladesh, and Houston.
- This podcast describes climate adaptations related to sea level rise, including seawalls, barriers, nature-based solutions, and flood-tolerant infrastructure like floating cities.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The host and guests discuss nature-based solutions like mangrove restoration and green infrastructure as sustainable ways to adapt to sea level rise.
- The real-world examples of successful climate adaptations in flood-vulnerable countries like the Netherlands demonstrate that solutions are possible.
- The podcast discusses economic issues related to relocation, real estate, and flood insurance, and using these economic arguments can be an effective way to prompt action.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with concepts related to disaster response, such as FEMA, flood insurance, and storm surge.
- Students should also know about the causes and effects of climate change.
Differentiation
- Social studies or geography classes can discuss the potential for large-scale human migration due to climate change.
- The webpage for the podcast includes a transcript with links to additional resources that are helpful for students following along in a classroom, especially those who struggle with auditory processing or ELL students.
- Consider printing some of the linked articles on the Read More section of the webpage and have learners complete a jigsaw activity where they read the different articles and summarize them in groups.
- Students can research topics mentioned in the podcast, such as climate migration, flooding, sea level rise, and others that interest them.
- Students can discuss how to approach the disproportionate effects of climate change on those who contributed to it the least.
This podcast discusses sea level, its impacts, and how society can adapt to these changes. Initially, the podcast defines sea level rise and details how it will evolve in the near and more distant future. The podcast then examines different adaptation ideas and emphasizes that there are options and that each area has different needs. This resource also explains the differences between mitigation and adaptation and how climate solutions can involve both. The resource includes links to news clips the podcast quoted and other media and resources from guests and CFR. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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