At 1.7 million square km (656,000 square miles), up to 3 km (nearly two miles) thick and a little smaller than Mexico, the Greenland Ice Sheet would raise global sea level by about 7 meters (22 feet) if it melted completely.

The implications are global. We are not talking about walking along the sea front on a nice summer day, we are talking of the worst storm settings, the biggest storm surges . . . you are upping the probability major storms will take place.

This change, combined with increased melting, suggests that existing estimates of future sea level rise are too low.

More than 3 million square miles of territory to protect, 10 thousand miles of border to guard and a fence to build 10, 11 or 12 miles high. It is better to have less thunder in the mouth and more lightning in the hand.

Another damned, thick, square book! Always scribble, scribble, scribble!

We're probably 2.8 square miles, with 28 miles of coastline.