Cities Around the World That Could Soon be Underwater

Cities Around the World That Could Soon Be Under Water

By 2100 land currently home to 200 million people will likely be permanently below the high-tide line

Because of the economic benefits associated with access to water -- for example, shipping routes, fisheries, tourism, and recreation -- dense urban areas have long been concentrated along coastal regions. Today, about 40% of the world’s population lives within 60 miles of the coast. 

As the climate crisis intensifies, however, coastal living has become a major liability. Global sea levels are projected to rise between 2 and 7 feet by 2050, and possibly more. By the end of the century, sea levels could rise as much as 20 feet. In this scenario, the United States alone would lose nearly 50,000 square miles, which today are home to 23.4 million people. 

Frequent flooding is one of the first problems associated with sea level rise. Coastal areas of Bangladesh and Vietnam, for example, which are home to 43 million and 31 million people, respectively, are likely to experience saltwater flooding several times a year by 2050.

Extracted from Microsoft News