Richard Branson and James Cameron want to save the high seas - Los Angeles Times

Richard Branson and James Cameron wrote an editorial that was published in the LA Times in August 2013

Richard Branson and James Cameron want to save the high seas - Los Angeles Times: (also on Virgin's web site here)

I'm convinced that we need international laws for controlling the seas, along with power to enforce those laws.  The UN is the place to do it!



The US has continually been the main opposition to a new high seas agreement for the UN.  Apparently the US Republican groups are opposed to giving the UN any authority over the global oceans, and those groups, along with pharmaceutical and plastic companies are big contributors to influential congressmen and senators who have fought against any new ocean protection treaties.



Somehow, I would think there has to be some common ground to protect the ocean --and the planet.  I'm glad that Branson and Cameron have taken a stand.  However, it will take many more leaders to also step forward to get the action the world needs!

Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy | Assembly Internet

I recently learned that there is a committee in our California Assembly called:
Select Committee on Sea Level Rise and the California Economy | Assembly Internet:--all members are listed on this page. It interested me that both Rocky Chavez from our District and Toni Atkins from San Diego serve on that committee.

It appears that the committee members are looking long term, which is a good idea.  They recently heard from a Stanford University Professor Rosemary Knight concerning measurements of the effects of rising ocean on ground water: https://pangea.stanford.edu/researchgroups/enviro/news/features/rosemary-knight-stanford-professor-geophysics-testifies-california-assembly-select-com
In May, Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute gave a presentation to the committee:
  Here is a transcript of his testimony.   I was surprised to learn that the ocean water level along the California coast has risen 8 inches over the past 100 years, and the rate is increasing.

I think that the findings of this committee are in conflict with some of the activities of our California Coastal Commission.  The Commission fights any homeowner who wants to protect their property from rising oceans by making it difficult to get a permit to build or maintain sea wall protection.  It seems to me that the State should be encouraging owners to build sea walls and maybe integrate those walls into large regional protection systems that will protect large areas of our coast.


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