Superstorm Sandy ravaged New York City's waterfront. The Rockaway Peninsula in Queens still bears the scars. Houses damaged by floodwaters sag with rot and mold. Businesses are shuttered. The beach's miles-long boardwalk is gone.

One year later, the residents there face a difficult dilemma between staying and leaving, as the reality of climate change and the fears of another Superstorm are now a daily part of life. The storm has revealed the inadequacy of New York City and the United States’ ability to handle climate-related weather extremes.

With the largest typhoon in recent recorded history bearing down on the Philipines, Typhoon Haiyan, do we really need more superstorms to tell us the world’s climate is changing?