A new report prepared for the state Department of Environmental Protection by Rutgers environmental scientists warns of a dramatic sea level rise along the Jersey shore.

DEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe saod the report predicts New Jersey shore sea level rise of 1.1 feet by 2030, and a rise of 6.3 feet by the end of the century.

How do we hold back the ocean?

"Probably the most important factor that influences the likelihood of sea level rise at any given (sea) level is how good a job the world does in the coming years about reducing our greenhouse gas emissions," McCabe said.

The described three scenarios outlines in the report — for low, moderate and high emissions levels. Which is the most on-point, she said, could depend on how well countries do reaching the goals of the Paris Climate Accord or in otherwise controlling emissions.

"Over the last 40 years, sea-level rose an average of 0.2 inch per year along the state’s coast, compared to a global average of 0.1 inch per year, the DEP says in a news release about the study. "The study also notes that the frequency of routine tidal flooding not associated with specific storms has increased, from an average of less than one event in Atlantic City between 1950 and 1960 to an average of eight events per year between 2007 and 2016 – and a high of 18 events in 2009. By 2100, high-tide cycle flooding could become a regular occurrence, at 240 days per year."

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David Rosenblatt, the DEP's Chief Resilience officer added the study quantifies visual evidence of sea level rise.

"And that's very important," he said. "So everybody along the coast knows what to do. Yes, it's difficult. We're planning for decades worth of events and we're trying to do it now because that's what it's going to take."

An executive order issued by Gov. Phil Murphy in October called for coordination across state agencies in planning "climate resilience," which include the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

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