Miami and New Orleans Could Lose 10 Percent of Their Land by 2100: Study

Over 40 million people in the coastal United States--including New York City and D.C.--could be impacted by rising sea levels in the coming decades.

The world will only get wetter. That's the somber conclusion of a new study done by the University of Arizona. Miami, New York City, and Washington D.C. are among 180 coastal cities that are all at risk of facing sea level rises of 20 feet by the year 2100, causing floods and erosion and impacting over 40 million people, according to the first large-scale study that looked at sea level rises for the entire continental United States. Miami and New Orleans alone could lose over 10% of their land by 2100.

The University of Arizona research points to global warming trends and effects in the United States that impact coastal areas inhabited by 50,000 or more people and not just those who live on or near the beach. The researchers point out that damage from sea-level rises also infiltrates through creeks, channels, adjacent low-lying areas, and inlets, which means that beach-bums are not the only ones who should be concerned.


Source: Fast Company