Ocean Rise: The Black Swan of Coastal Ecology Edward P. Richards Professor of Law LSU Law Center richards@lsu.edu http://sites.law.lsu.edu/coast/ Google "the deadly coast"

Coastal Elevations

2010 2100

Chalk Talk The topography of a coastal wet land Generally a river delta - where the sweet meets the salt Gently sloping, low tidal flow Hurricane climax wetlands The effect of ocean rise The local fallacy of coastal restoration Wetlands can only survive if they can retreat inland

The Black Swan The Louisiana Coast is the most threatened wetlands in the US The threat is due to geologic subsidence and to ocean rise. Environmental groups cannot let go of their theory that coastal loss is due to oil companies. By buying into the restoration myth, environmental groups empower the state and other players whose only long-term plan is to levee the coast.