1.25 Hours MCLE

Sea level rise is projected to accelerate in coming decades as climate change warms the oceans (causing them to expand) and increases the melting of ice and snow. Higher sea level will exacerbate storm damage to coastal property, increase saltwater intrusion into coastal ground water basins, and literally shift the mean high tide mark—a key boundary between public and private coastal property interests—inland in many areas. These shifts will increase legal conflict along California’s coast. This MCLE outlines the key legal doctrines under common law, the Public Trust Doctrine, and the California Coastal Act that will frame litigation and policy responses to the impact of ongoing sea level rise.