Climate change is expected to increase the risk of hurricane-related flooding around Corpus Christi, Texas, home of three major U.S. oil refineries, according to a study released today. If I didn’t know better I might think that Mother Nature aims to exact revenge on the very facilities that spew greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, ultimately causing these very conditions.  I certainly hope no harm comes to the people that live and work there, but there is a certain poetry to the potential threat of flooding. The study also found that the land around Corpus Christi is sinking due to oil extraction, exposing the area to an increased risk for flood damage.  Perhaps the effects of fossil fuel extraction should be taken into account when it comes to hand out the carbon credits for the federal Cap and Trade program. 

The potential danger caused by the extraction should certainly make a good argument against domestic drilling as an “alternative” fuel source. Erosion and rising sea levels will also eliminate the protective barrier that the coastal islands currently provide Texas, exposing the mainland to severe consequences.  Let’s hope that we can slow our influence upon the changing climate and better prepare for the storms ahead.

Photo: tammra’s flickr photostream (creative commons)