A letter to my climate change skeptical neighbor: some thoughts about the coastal zone

摘要

The paper addresses the historical evidence in archaeology and geology about climate changes in the past, cites the contemporaneous scientific evidence about these changes in different settings, and enumerates effects which would enhance the consequences of such changes. A few examples of vulnerabilities of the coastal zone are commented, chosen because they are not so often recalled. The specific case of Brazilian coastal zone is briefly introduced. Finally, as its main purpose, the paper stresses the urgent need for action related to the unavoidable time delay for building responses to climate changes, regardless of their causes.