Sea levels could rise by up to 23 feet by 2100 if we don't drastically reduce
This would have devastating effects on coastal settlements around the world and in the United States too, where 1,429 towns and cities would be at least half-wiped out, according to analysis by Benjamin Strauss of Climate Central.
"The current trend in carbon emissions likely implies the eventual crippling or loss of most coastal cities in the world," Strauss wrote in his commentary. The only way to avoid this future is not only to reduce global greenhouse emissions greatly, but to also begin removing greenhouse gasses, like carbon dioxide, from the air.
We looked at the data that Strauss used to get his figure, provided by Climate Central. Here are the stats:
- If things don't change by 2020, there will be an unavoidable rise in sea level by 5 feet and 2 inches. That will push more than 50% of the population out of 381 municipalities, resulting in 4,187,262 people losing their hometowns.
- If greenhouse gasses continue to rise until 2050, there will be an unavoidable rise in sea level by 10 feet and 1 inch. That will push more than 50% of the population out of 715 municipalities, resulting in 8,121,973 people losing their hometowns.
- If we wait until 2100 to mend our polluting ways, sea level will rise by 23 feet and 1 inch, displacing more than 50% of the population of 1,429 cities and towns, and 18,074,940 people.
Here are the cities and towns that could see more than 50% of their population displaced by rising
A few notes about the data: The researchers used population data from the 2010 census, assuming coastal populations would remain the same. They also didn't make any adjustments for local engineering solutions, like seawalls.
And now here's the full list of towns that could be at least half wiped out by 2100 by rising sea levels:
Alabama — Bayou La Batre, Belle Fontaine, Creola, Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Perdido Beach, Satsuma
California — Alameda, August, Bethel Island, Castroville, Channel Islands Beach, Clarksburg, Coronado, Country Club, Courtland, Discovery Bay, East Palo Alto, Emeryville, Fields Landing, Foster City, Franklin, Freeport, French Camp, Hood, Huntington Beach, Imperial Beach, Isleton, Kennedy, Knightsen, Lathrop, Lemon Hill, Lincoln Village, Los Alamitos, Manila, Marina del Rey, Moss Landing, Newark, North Fair Oaks, North Richmond, Pajaro Dunes, Parkway, Port Hueneme, Redwood City, Robbins, Rossmoor, Sacramento, Samoa, San Lorenzo, San Mateo, Seal Beach, Stockton, Suisun City, Sunset Beach, Taft Mosswood, Terminous, Thornton, Union City, Walnut Grove, West Sacramento
Connecticut — Clinton, Fenwick, Groton Long Point, Poquonock Bridge, Stonington, Westbrook Center, Woodmont
Delaware — Bethany Beach, Bethel, Blades, Bowers, Delaware City, Dewey Beach, Dover Base Housing, Fenwick Island, Frederica, Henlopen Acres, Leipsic, Lewes, Little Creek, Long Neck, Magnolia, Millsboro, Millville, New Castle, Ocean View, Rehoboth Beach, Slaughter Beach, South Bethany
Florida — Acacia Villas, Alva, Anna Maria, Apalachicola, Apollo Beach, Aripeka, Astor, Atlantic Beach, Atlantis, Avalon, Aventura, Bal Harbour, Bardmoor, Bay Harbor Islands, Bayonet Point, Bay Pines, Bayport, Bayshore Gardens, Beacon Square, Bear Creek, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Belle Glade, Beverly Beach, Big Coppitt Key, Big Pine Key, Biscayne Park, Black Hammock, Boca Raton, Bokeelia, Bonita Springs, Boulevard Gardens, Boynton Beach, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Briny Breezes, Broadview Park, Brownsville, Buckhead Ridge, Buckingham, Bunnell, Burnt Store Marina, Butler Beach, Cabana Colony, Callahan, Callaway, Canal Point, Cape Canaveral, Cape Coral, Captiva, Carrabelle, Cedar Key, Charleston Park, Charlotte Harbor, Charlotte Park, Chokoloskee, Cinco Bayou, Cleveland, Clewiston, Cloud Lake, Cocoa Beach, Cocoa West, Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Gables, Coral Springs, Coral Terrace, Cortez, Country Club, Country Walk, Crawfordville, Crescent Beach, Crystal River, Cudjoe Key, Cutler Bay, Cypress Lake, Cypress Quarters, Dania Beach, Davie, Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Destin, Dickerson City, Doral, Duck Key, East Lake, East Palatka, Eastpoint, Edgewater, Eglin AFB, Elfers, Ellenton, El Portal, Englewood, Estero, Everglades, Feather Sound, Fellsmere, Fernandina Beach, Fisher Island, Flagler Beach, Flagler Estates, Fleming Island, Florida City, Florida Ridge, Floridatown, Fort Denaud, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers Shores, Fort Pierce, Fort Pierce North, Fort Pierce South, Fort Walton Beach, Fountainebleau, Franklin Park, Fruit Cove, Garcon Point, Gateway, Gibsonton, Gifford, Gladeview, Glencoe, Glen Ridge, Glenvar Heights, Golden Beach, Golden Gate, Golden Glades, Golf, Goodland, Goulds, Grant-Valkaria, Greenacres, Grove City, Gulf Breeze, Gulf Gate Estates, Gulfport, Gulf Stream, Gun Club Estates, Hallandale Beach, Harbor Bluffs, Harbour Heights, Harlem, Harlem Heights, Hastings, Haverhill, Hernando Beach, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Highland Beach, Hillsboro Beach, Hillsboro Pines, Hobe Sound, Holiday, Holley, Holly Hill, Hollywood, Holmes Beach, Homestead, Homestead Base, Homosassa, Homosassa Springs, Horseshoe Beach, Hudson, Hutchinson Island South, Hypoluxo, Indialantic, Indian Creek, Indian Harbour Beach, Indian River Estates, Indian River Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, Indian Shores, Inglis, Iona, Islamorada, Islandia, Island Walk, Ives Estates, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Jasmine Estates, Jensen Beach, Juno Beach, Juno Ridge, Jupiter, Jupiter Farms, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Jupiter Island, Kendale Lakes, Kendall, Kendall West, Kenneth City, Kenwood Estates, Key Biscayne, Key Colony Beach, Key Largo, Key Vista, Key West, LaBelle, Lake Belvedere Estates, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Harbor, Lake Lorraine, Lake Park, Lakewood Gardens, Lakewood Park, Lake Worth, Lantana, Largo, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, Laurel, Layton, Lazy Lake, Lehigh Acres, Leisure City, Lely, Lely Resort, Lighthouse Point, Limestone Creek, Lochmoor Waterway Estates, Longboat Key, Lower Grand Lagoon, Loxahatchee Groves, Lynn Haven, McGregor, Madeira Beach, Malabar, Manalapan, Manasota Key, Mangonia Park, Marathon, Marco Island, Margate, Marineland, Mary Esther, Matlacha, Matlacha Isles-Matlacha Shores, Medley, Melbourne, Melbourne Beach, Memphis, Merritt Island, Mexico Beach, Miami, Miami Beach, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Miami Shores, Miami Springs, Micco, Midway, Miramar, Miramar Beach, Montura, Moore Haven, Mulat, Naples, Naples Manor, Naples Park, Naranja, Nassau Village-Ratliff, Navarre Beach, Neptune Beach, New Port Richey, New Port Richey East, New Smyrna Beach, Nokomis, North Bay Village, North Fort Myers, North Key Largo, North Lauderdale, North Miami, North Miami Beach, North Palm Beach, North Port, North Redington Beach, North River Shores, Oak Hill, Oakland Park, Ocean Breeze Park, Ocean City, Ocean Ridge, Ojus, Oldsmar, Olga, Olympia Heights, Opa-locka, Orange Park, Orangetree, Orchid, Oriole Beach, Ormond Beach, Ormond-by-the-Sea, Osprey, Otter Creek, Page Park, Pahokee, Palm Bay, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach Shores, Palm City, Palmetto, Palmetto Bay, Palmetto Estates, Palmona Park, Palm River-Clair Mel, Palm Shores, Palm Springs, Palm Springs North, Palm Valley, Panacea, Panama City, Parker, Parkland, Patrick AFB, Pelican Bay, Pembroke Park, Pembroke Pines, Pine Air, Pinecrest, Pine Island, Pine Island Center, Pineland, Pinellas Park, Pine Manor, Pine Ridge, Pinewood, Pioneer, Plantation, Plantation, Plantation Island, Plantation Mobile Home Park, Pompano Beach, Ponce Inlet, Port Charlotte, Port LaBelle, Port Orange, Port Richey, Port St. Joe, Port St. Lucie, Port Salerno, Pretty Bayou, Princeton, Progress Village, Punta Gorda, Redington Beach, Redington Shores, Richmond Heights, Richmond West, Ridge Wood Heights, Rio, River Park, Riviera Beach, Rockledge, Roosevelt Gardens, Roseland, Rotonda, Royal Palm Beach, Royal Palm Estates, Ruskin, Safety Harbor, St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, St. Augustine Shores, St. Augustine South, St. James City, St. Lucie Village, St. Marks, St. Pete Beach, St. Petersburg, Samsula-Spruce Creek, San Carlos Park, San Castle, Sanibel, Sarasota, Sarasota Springs, Satellite Beach, Sawgrass, Schall Circle, Sea Ranch Lakes, Sebastian, Seminole Manor, Sewall's Point, Shalimar, Siesta Key, Solana, Sopchoppy, South Bay, South Beach, South Bradenton, South Daytona, Southgate, South Highpoint, South Miami, South Miami Heights, South Palm Beach, South Pasadena, South Patrick Shores, South Sarasota, South Venice, Southwest Ranches, Stacey Street, Steinhatchee, Stock Island, Stuart, Suncoast Estates, Sunny Isles Beach, Sunrise, Sunset, Surfside, Sweetwater, Tamarac, Tamiami, Tarpon Springs, Tavernier, Taylor Creek, Tequesta, The Acreage, The Crossings, The Hammocks, Three Lakes, Three Oaks, Tice, Tierra Verde, Tiger Point, Titusville, Town 'n' Country, Treasure Island, Tyndall AFB, University Park, Upper Grand Lagoon, Vamo, Venice, Venice Gardens, Vero Beach, Vero Beach South, Verona Walk, Viera East, Viera West, Villano Beach, Villas, Vineyards, Virginia Gardens, Wabasso, Wabasso Beach, Warm Mineral Springs, Warrington, Washington Park, Watergate, Weeki Wachee, Weeki Wachee Gardens, Welaka, Wellington, West Bradenton, Westchase, Westchester, Westgate, West Lealman, West Little River, West Miami, West Palm Beach, West Park, West Perrine, West Vero Corridor, Westview, Westwood Lakes, Whiskey Creek, White City, Whitfield, Wilton Manors, Windsor, Winter Beach, World Golf Village, Yankeetown, Yulee
Georgia — Bloomingdale, Brunswick, Country Club Estates, Darien, Dock Junction, Dutch Island, Flemington, Garden City, Georgetown, Henderson, Isle of Hope, Kings Bay Base, Kingsland, Midway, Montgomery, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Riceboro, Richmond Hill, St. Marys, St. Simons, Savannah, Skidaway Island, Talahi Island, Thunderbolt, Tybee Island, Vernonburg, Whitemarsh Island, Wilmington Island, Woodbine
Louisiana — Abbeville, Addis, Ama, Amelia, Arabi, Avondale, Baldwin, Barataria, Bayou Blue, Bayou Cane, Bayou Country Club, Bayou Gauche, Bayou Goula, Bayou L'Ourse, Bayou Vista, Belle Chasse, Belle Rose, Berwick, Boothville, Bourg, Boutte, Breaux Bridge, Bridge City, Brusly, Buras, Cameron, Carlyss, Catahoula, Cecilia, Chackbay, Chalmette, Charenton, Chauvin, Choctaw, Convent, Covington, Crescent, Crowley, Cut Off, Delcambre, Des Allemands, Destrehan, Donaldsonville, Dulac, Eden Isle, Edgard, Egan, Elmwood, Empire, Erath, Erwinville, Estelle, Estherwood, Franklin, French Settlement, Galliano, Gardere, Garyville, Glencoe, Golden Meadow, Gonzales, Gramercy, Grand Isle, Grand Point, Gray, Gretna, Grosse Tete, Gueydan, Hackberry, Hahnville, Harahan, Harvey, Hayes, Henderson, Hester, Houma, Iowa, Jeanerette, Jean Lafitte, Jefferson, Jennings, Kaplan, Kenner, Killian, Killona, Kraemer, Krotz Springs, Labadieville, Lacassine, Lacombe, Lafitte, Lafourche Crossing, Lake Arthur, Lake Charles, Laplace, Larose, Lemannville, Livonia, Lockport, Lockport Heights, Loreauville, Luling, Lutcher, Lydia, Madisonville, Mandeville, Maringouin, Marrero, Mathews, Maurice, Meraux, Mermentau, Metairie, Milton, Montegut, Montz, Moonshine, Morgan City, Morse, Napoleonville, New Iberia, New Orleans, New Sarpy, Norco, North Vacherie, Paincourtville, Paradis, Parks, Patterson, Paulina, Pierre Part, Plaquemine, Pleasure Bend, Pointe a la Hache, Ponchatoula, Port Allen, Port Sulphur, Port Vincent, Poydras, Prairieville, Presquille, Prien, Raceland, Reserve, River Ridge, Romeville, Rosedale, St. Gabriel, St. James, St. Martinville, St. Rose, Schriever, Siracusaville, Slidell, Sorrel, Sorrento, South Vacherie, Springfield, Sulphur, Supreme, Taft, Terrytown, Thibodaux, Timberlane, Triumph, Union, Venice, Ventress, Vinton, Violet, Waggaman, Wallace, Welcome, Welsh, Westlake, Westwego, White Castle, Woodmere
Maryland —Algonquin, Allen, Annapolis Neck, Benedict, Bivalve, Bowleys Quarters, Brentwood, Brookview, Broomes Island, Cambridge, Chance, Chesapeake City, Chester, Choptank, Church Creek, Cobb Island, Colmar Manor, Crisfield, Dames Quarter, Deale, Deal Island, Eagle Harbor, Edesville, Edgemere, Edmonston, Eldorado, Elliott, Essex, Fairmount, Fishing Creek, Frenchtown-Rumbly, Galestown, Galesville, Grasonville, Highland Beach, Jesterville, Kent Narrows, Kingstown, Madison, Mardela Springs, Mayo, Mount Vernon, Nanticoke, Nanticoke Acres, Naval Academy, North Beach, North, Brentwood, Ocean City, Ocean Pines, Oxford, Piney Point, Pocomoke City, Port Tobacco Village, Princess Anne, Quantico, Queenstown, Rock Hall, Rock Point, St. George Island, St. Michaels, Secretary, Shady Side, Sharptown, Smith Island, Snow Hill, Solomons, Stevensville, Tall Timbers, Taylors Island, Tilghman Island, Tyaskin, Vienna, Waterview, West Denton, West Ocean City, West Pocomoke, Whitehaven, Williston
Massachusetts — Bourne, Buzzards Bay, Cambridge, Chelsea, Dennis Port, Duxbury, Falmouth, Green Harbor-Cedar Crest, Harwich Port, Hull, Madaket, Marshfield, Mattapoisett Center, Medford, Monomoscoy Island, New Seabury, Ocean Bluff-Brant Rock, Ocean Grove, Onset, Popponesset, Popponesset Island, Provincetown, Quincy, Revere, Salisbury, Seabrook, Seconsett Island, South Yarmouth, Teaticket, Wareham Center, West Dennis, West Yarmouth, Weweantic, Winthrop Town
Mississippi — Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, D'Iberville, Escatawpa, Gautier, Gulf Hills, Gulf Park Estates, Helena, Henderson Point, Moss Point, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Pass Christian, Pearlington, St. Martin, Waveland
New Hampshire — Hampton Beach, Seabrook Beach
New Jersey — Absecon, Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Audubon Park, Avalon, Avon-by-the-Sea, Barnegat Light, Bay Head, Beach Haven, Beach Haven West, Belford, Belmar, Beverly, Bradley Beach, Brielle, Brigantine, Brooklawn, Burleigh, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cape May Court House, Cape May Point, Carneys Point, Carteret, Cedarville, Collingswood, Corbin City, Deal, Diamond Beach, Dover Beaches North, Dover Beaches South, East Newark, Edgewater, Erma, Forked River, Gibbstown, Gloucester City, Hancocks Bridge, Harrison, Harvey Cedars, Highlands, Hoboken, Interlaken, Island Heights, Keansburg, Keyport, Lake Como, Lavallette, Leonardo, Linwood, Little Ferry, Little Silver, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Longport, Manasquan, Mantoloking, Margate City, Mays Landing, Monmouth Beach, Moonachie, Mount Ephraim, Mystic Island, National Park, Neptune City, North Beach Haven, North Cape May, Northfield, North Middletown, North Wildwood, Oaklyn, Ocean City, Ocean Gate, Ocean Grove, Oceanport, Palmyra, Paulsboro, Pedricktown, Penns Grove, Pennsville, Pine Beach, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, Port Monmouth, Port Norris, Port Reading, Port Republic, Quinton, Rahway, Rio Grande, Riverton, Rumson, Salem, Sea Bright, Sea Girt, Sea Isle City, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Secaucus, Sewaren, Ship Bottom, Silver Ridge, Somers Point, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Stone Harbor, Strathmere, Surf City, Teterboro, Tuckerton, Union Beach, Ventnor City, Villas, Wallington, Waretown, West Cape May, Westville, West Wildwood, Whitesboro, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, Woodlynne
New York — Amityville, Aquebogue, Asharoken, Atlantic Beach, Babylon, Baldwin Harbor, Barnum Island, Bay Park, Bayport, Bayville, Bellmore, Blue Point, Brightwaters, Brookhaven, Cedarhurst, Center Moriches, Copiague, Dering Harbor, East Atlantic Beach, East Islip, East Massapequa, East Quogue, East Rockaway, Fire Island, Fishers Island, Flanders, Freeport, Gilgo, Great River, Greenport, Greenport West, Harbor Isle, Hewlett, Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor, Hewlett Neck, Inwood, Island Park, Islip, Jamesport, Laurel, Lawrence, Lido Beach, Lindenhurst, Long Beach, Lynbrook, Manorhaven, Massapequa, Massapequa Park, Mastic Beach, Mattituck, Merrick, Moriches, Napeague, New Suffolk, North Haven, Oak Beach-Captree, Oakdale, Ocean Beach, Oceanside, Orient, Patchogue, Peconic, Point Lookout, Quogue, Riverside, Saddle Rock Estates, Saltaire, Seaford, Southold, South Valley Stream, Valley Stream, Wantagh, West Bay Shore, Westhampton Beach, West Hampton Dunes, West Islip, West Sayville, Woodmere, Woodsburgh
North Carolina — Alliance, Atlantic, Atlantic Beach, Aurora, Avon, Bald Head Island, Bath, Bayboro, Bayshore, Bayview, Beaufort, Belhaven, Belville, Bogue, Brices Creek, Bridgeton, Broad Creek, Buxton, Camden, Cape Carteret, Carolina Beach, Castle Hayne, Caswell Beach, Cedar Point, Coinjock, Columbia, Creswell, Davis, Duck, Edenton, Elizabeth City, Emerald Isle, Engelhard, Fairfield, Fairfield Harbour, Frisco, Gatesville, Gloucester, Harkers Island, Hatteras, Havelock, Hertford, Hightsville, Hobucken, Holden Beach, Indian Beach, Jacksonville, James City, Kelly, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Kure Beach, Leland, Manns Harbor, Manteo, Marshallberg, Mesic, Morehead City, Moyock, Myrtle Grove, Nags Head, Navassa, New Bern, Newport, North Topsail Beach, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Ocracoke, Ogden, Oriental, Pantego, Pine Knoll Shores, Plymouth, Pollocksville, Porters Neck, River Bend, River Road, Rodanthe, Roper, Salvo, Sea Breeze, Silver Lake, Skippers Corner, Sneads Ferry, Southern Shores, South Mills, Southport, Stonewall, Surf City, Swan Quarter, Topsail Beach, Trent Woods, Vanceboro, Vandemere, Varnamtown, Wanchese, Washington, Washington Park, Waves, Winfall, Wrightsville Beach
Oregon — Gearhart, Jeffers Gardens, Neskowin, Pacific City, Seaside, Tillamook, Warrenton, Westport
Pennsylvania — Bristol, Croydon, Eddystone, Marcus Hook, Tullytown
Rhode Island — Misquamicut, Quonochontaug, Watch Hill, Weekapaug
South Carolina — Awendaw, Beaufort, Bluffton, Briarcliffe Acres, Bucksport, Burton, Charleston, Edisto Beach, Folly Beach, Forestbrook, Garden City, Georgetown, Hardeeville, Hilton Head Island, Isle of Palms, Jacksonboro, Kiawah Island, McClellanville, Meggett, Mount Pleasant, Murrells Inlet, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, Port Royal, Seabrook Island, Shell Point, Socastee, Sullivan's Island, Surfside Beach
Texas — Anahuac, Aransas Pass, Arroyo Gardens, Austwell, Bacliff, Bayou Vista, Bayside, Baytown, Beaumont, Bolivar Peninsula, Brazoria, Bridge City, Cameron Park, Central Gardens, Chula Vista, Clear Lake Shores, Clute, Country Acres, Danbury, Del Mar Heights, Deweyville, Dickinson, El Lago, Falman, Fannett, Freeport, Fulton, Galena Park, Galveston, Green Valley Farms, Groves, Hitchcock, Holiday Beach, Ingleside, Ingleside on the Bay, Jamaica Beach, Jones Creek, Kemah, Laguna Heights, Laguna Vista, Lake Jackson, Lamar, La Marque, La Porte, La Tina Ranch, Laureles, League City, Liverpool, Los Fresnos, Matagorda, Morgan's Point, Nassau Bay, Nederland, Oak Island, Orange, Orason, Oyster Creek, Palacios, Pine Forest, Pinehurst, Point Comfort, Port Aransas, Port Arthur, Port Isabel, Port Lavaca, Port Mansfield, Port Neches, Port O'Connor, Quintana, Reid Hope King, Richwood, Rockport, Rose City, Rose Hill Acres, San Leon, San Perlita, Santa Fe, Santa Monica, Seabrook, Seadrift, Shoreacres, South Padre Island, South Point, Stowell, Surfside Beach, Taylor Lake Village, Taylor Landing, Texas City, Tiki Island, Tradewinds, Vidor, Villa Pancho, Webster, West Orange, Wild Peach Village
Virginia – Bayside, Bethel Manor, Bloxom, Bobtown, Cape Charles, Captains Cove, Carrollton, Cats Bridge, Cheriton, Chesapeake, Chincoteague, Colonial Beach, Dahlgren, Dahlgren Center, Deep Creek, Deltaville, Greenbackville, Gwynn, Hallwood, Hampton, Harborton, Horntown, Lee Mont, Makemie Park, Mathews, New Church, Norfolk, Onancock, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Quinby, Sanford, Saxis, Southampton Meadows, Southside Chesconessex, Suffolk, Tangier, Tappahannock, Urbanna, Virginia Beach, Wachapreague, West Point
Washington — Aberdeen, Bay Center, Chinook, Cohassett Beach, Conway, Copalis Beach, Edison, Fife, Grayland, Hoquiam, Jamestown, Kelso, La Conner, Long Beach, Longview, Neah Bay, Ocean City, Ocean Park, Ocean Shores, Oyehut, Puget Island, Silvana, Skokomish, South Bend, Taholah, Tokeland, Westport, Whidbey Island Station, Willapa, Woodland