[Npoc-discuss] Internet Infrastructure and Sea Level Rise: Food/Question for Thought

Wed Oct 30 13:08:40 UTC 2019

Poncelet,
Thank you for your comments. I agree that the looming crisis around
Internet Infrastructure and Sea Level Rise is not central to ICANN's
mandate, and do not see it as occupying a central position on the ICANN
agenda. But, as multiple stakeholder constituencies we (including ICANN and
ICANN org) have to press for greater attention elsewhere, where stakeholder
awareness and engagement are raised with regard to such issues.
The IGF is one of those venues and I support NPOC developing a strategy
(say as NPOC org, with an independent budget and above and beyond its ICANN
constituency existence) to take on such tasks. 
I remind us that this is more or less how the other ICANN constituencies
operate outside ICANN, targeting their efforts at areas that impact their
core interests. Our interests are two fold, the impact of the Internet
ecosystem on the NGO, not-for-profit, community constituency, and on "the
public good". Within NPOC we focus on the DNS, but our concerns are wider.
This is a good opportunity to mature NPOC as a concerned constituency
within the challenges facing the wider Internet ecosystem.
Sam L.
---- Original Message ----
From: Poncelet Ileleji 
To: "Sam Lanfranco" 
Cc: "NPOC Discuss" 
Sent: Wed, Oct 30, 2019, 5:32 AM
Subject: Re: [Npoc-discuss] Internet Infrastructure and Sea Level Rise:
Food/Question for Thought

Hello Sam,
I think it’s more of an issue within the overall internet governance
domain so within Berlin discuss we can do it. As under the realm of ICANN
we won’t get far with the discuss as it centers on infrastructure not
DNS.
Our chair @Joan can see how we can promote it within the global IGF as per
NPOC and within our regional gatherings.
Just my little thoughts 
Poncelet 

On Wednesday, 30 October 2019, Sam Lanfranco  wrote:
	NPOC colleagues, 
	I am raising this within the NPOC discussion group because I want to get a
sense of whether this is an issue that should be somewhere on the ICANN
agenda. At a minimum ICANN and its communities are constituent stakeholders
in this issue.Most analysis sees serious problems within 15 years. 
	Much of the Internet’s physical infrastructure is situated in locations
close to coastal shorelines, connected to the half-million miles of
undersea cables. New estimates of sea level rise driven by climate change
have tripled earlier estimates of global vulnerability to sea-level rise
and coastal flooding.  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-12808-z
(https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-12808-z) 

	The impact of this on human habitation, and human migration, will be
catastrophic. Estimates are that by mid-century up to 340 million people
will live on land below projected annual flood levels. Current estimates
put one billion people now occupying land less than 10 meters above
current high tide lines, including 250 million living below 1 meter
above current high tide lines. These populations will become a migration
tsunami. But that is not the issue I want to raise here. 

	The impact of sea level rise on the infrastructure of the Internet
ecosystem will be equally catastrophic and is approaching fast. Rather than
belaboring the point that some action is necessary here, I will just share
a short bibliography on the subject. Do we need a discussion? 

	Sam Lanfranco
	The Internet May Be Underwater in 15 Years: 
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/07/news-internet-underwater-sea-level-rise/
(https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/07/news-internet-underwater-sea-level-rise/)

	Buried Internet infrastructure at risk as sea levels rise: 
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180716141627.htm
(https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180716141627.htm) 

	Rising Seas Could Cause Problems for Internet Infrastructure 
https://biodiversityfunders.org/rising-seas-could-cause-problems-for-internet-infrastructure/
(https://biodiversityfunders.org/rising-seas-could-cause-problems-for-internet-infrastructure/)
	Sea Level Rise to Jeopardize U.S. Internet Infrastructure In 15 Years 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/federicoguerrini/2018/08/11/sea-level-rise-to-jeopardise-u-s-internet-infrastructure-in-15-years-study-says/#1fdac65a7cb0
(https://www.forbes.com/sites/federicoguerrini/2018/08/11/sea-level-rise-to-jeopardise-u-s-internet-infrastructure-in-15-years-study-says/%231fdac65a7cb0)

	Internet infrastructure will be inundated as sea levels rise:
https://www.networkworld.com/article/3290250/internet-infrastructure-will-be-inundated-as-sea-levels-rise-says-report.html
(https://www.networkworld.com/article/3290250/internet-infrastructure-will-be-inundated-as-sea-levels-rise-says-report.html)
	Key Internet Connections and Locations are at Risk from Rising Seas: 
https://www.americanscientist.org/article/key-internet-connections-and-locations-are-at-risk-from-rising-seas
(https://www.americanscientist.org/article/key-internet-connections-and-locations-are-at-risk-from-rising-seas)

	The internet is at risk from rising sea levels | World Economic Forum: 
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/rising-sea-levels-are-coming-for-the-internet
(https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/07/rising-sea-levels-are-coming-for-the-internet)

	Rising sea levels are going to mess with the internet, sooner than you
think:  https://www.popsci.com/sea-level-rise-internet-infrastructure/
(https://www.popsci.com/sea-level-rise-internet-infrastructure/) 
-- 
Poncelet O. Ileleji MBCS
Coordinator
The Gambia YMCAs Computer Training Centre & Digital Studio
MDI Road Kanifing South
P. O. Box 421 Banjul
The Gambia, West Africa
Tel: (220) 4370240
Fax:(220) 4390793
Cell:(220) 9912508
Skype: pons_utd
www.ymca.gm (http://www.ymca.gm)
http://jokkolabs.net/en/ (http://jokkolabs.net/en/)

https://www.netfreedompioneers.org/ (https://www.netfreedompioneers.org/)  

www.waigf.org (http://www.waigf.org)
www,insistglobal.com (http://www.itag.gm)
www.npoc.org (http://www.npoc.org)

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