The first places that global warming's effects are going to be seen, are in ecologies that exist in the eddies of a larger one. Like New Orleans - or Arizona's sky islands. This is important, because such ecologies create high value real estate - they are close to one dominant ecology, but have the different characteristics of another. Four seasons in the land of two, or land in the marshes.

New York City, is such an ecology - the creation of a spar of bedrock in the middle of river valleys carved by ice. It is far more robust than the delicate Indian Ocean Islands, New Orleans or sky islands, but it is on the list. And with every ton of carbon over the carrying capacity, nature is checking its way down the list.