Local governments in the coastal zone play a key role in adapting to the changing climate. This Article presents an analysis of coastal communities in four states, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, and provides three proposals for local governments that take action to address climate impacts: (1) redefining the scope of the duties that define reasonable conduct for governments making decisions about public infrastructure in an era of rising sea levels; (2) defining the scope of sovereign immunity protections in a way that encourages innovative and creative decisionmaking in an era of climate uncertainty; and (3) calling for consistent adaptation duties and authorities at the state level as a crucial first step in mending the legal-standards patchwork that currently exists at the state, county, and city levels in our four-state study area.

This Article argues that growing private efforts to address climate change collectively take on the attributes and functions of a governance system that could be vital to societal decarbonization. Instead of evaluating specific initiatives or actions of particular businesses, it explores the entire field of private climate action and offers new ways of thinking about the path ahead. The author explores the opportunities and benefits of private climate governance, tests the current landscape of initiatives against criteria of effectiveness and legitimacy, and suggests a research and action agenda for the climate community to bridge gaps in the system.

It is now scientifically proven that climate change is causing disruptions to the world at large. These slow-motion consequences threaten most coastal areas around the world, especially the Pacific Island nations.  Scientists predict that climate change will cause the forced displacement of people; desertification; protracted destructive wildfires; sea-level rise; ocean acidification; extreme weather events; and severe drought, which then impacts the supply of food. It will also cause frequent flooding, torrential rainfall, and of course tropical cyclones, which damage agricultural lands, agricultural productivity, and livelihoods. It is therefore logical to argue that climate change is undeniably a global phenomenon, which demands global actions. However, what is missing at this point in time is a general consensus to take coordinated joint action to tackle climate change. This Comment argues that despite dwindling resources, the international community has a responsibility to protect affected people and must give climate migrants refugee status so that they are protected outside their national borders.