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Halifax is a port city. Climate change will affect us.

The question then is, what will we do about it?

On one hand, you can believe the scientists who overwhelmingly state that man-made emissions are the cause of climate change, and the problem can be mitigated by reducing those emissions. This is probably the cheaper approach in the long run, and will actually lead to the least amount of disruption to people's lives. My life is not appreciably different if my power comes from a wind turbine instead of a coal plant, or I change how I heat my house.

The other option is to accept the change is inevitable, and will happen irrespective of human actions to prevent climate change. These people are often labeled as climate deniers. While the science doesn’t agree with people who hold this belief, taking no prevention measures is an option, but it is not without costs.

A rising sea level and increased storm activity, which we are already experiencing, will increasingly threaten the waterfront of Halifax. New construction on the Halifax waterfront is already being built several meters higher than it has been in the past. The city has been rebuilding sea walls on the North West Arm to deal with higher water levels. The mitigation has costs.

There may become a point when the current mitigation is insufficient to protect Halifax, and a storm barrier needs to be constructed at the mouth of the harbour. London, England is protected by the Thames Barrier. That barrier went into operation in 1982 and cost 500 million pounds to construct.

A storm barrier at the mouth of Halifax Harbour would likely be a several billion dollar undertaking. The cost alone makes it an option of last resort. Insurance companies are already refusing to issue policies in some areas due to flood risks, and increasing deductibles on water damage claims. It's probable that large areas of downtown may become uninsurable depending on losses due to storm events.

Reports have suggested that sea level rise could turn Nova Scotia into an island. The Isthmus of Chignecto, the low lying piece of land that connects the province to the rest of Canada could flood in storm events, washing out rail and road connections. Immediate improvements are badly needed to existing dykes, though repairs will be an ongoing cost into the future as conditions worsen.

In the U.S., the inability of homeowners to buy insurance has led to the formation of state plans, essentially subsidized by the tax payer. Poor planning led to development in flood plains, and the risk is now deemed so great it is affordable to insure.

Halifax as a city depends on its port, and its connections to the rest of Canada to remain a viable and successful city. Climate change threatens our existence, and we must be leaders in the steps to mitigate its effects.

It’s OK to not like a carbon tax. But the question to ask those who campaign against it is, what is your plan to pay for the costs of doing nothing to prevent climate change? The tax increases required to react to the effects of climate change will be much greater than for us to prevent.

In other harbour news:

• The jack-up drill rig Noble Regina Allen has requested an additional two months to complete the work decommissioning the Sable Offshore field. The original coasting trade agreements expire in November. Eighteen of 21 wells are currently plugged or are in the process of being plugged.

• The province released the tender for the dry docking of the CSS Acadia. The request includes the towing of the vessel to the shipyard. When it returns the Acadia will be placed bow in. The work includes sandblasting and painting, Hull thickness testing, and replacement where the steel is less than a quarter-inch thick. There are also some general repairs and maintenance.

• The federal court in Halifax recently designated a salvage award to Smit Salvage on 33 containers that have not paid the salvage security. Those containers will be sold in a sheriffs’ sale to the highest bidder.

• Defsec Atlantic 2019 takes place this week at the Cunard Center. The defence industry trade show grew out of events hosted in conjunction with what is now the Atlantic Canada International Air Show. A highlight of this year’s event are tours of the MV Asterix.

• I will be giving a talk on the Construction of Halifax Ocean Terminals at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, on Monday at 7:30 p.m., hosted by Industrial Heritage Nova Scotia.

