A new study published in the journal Nature on November 20 found that 5,500 hazardous sites in the United States face flooding risk by 2100, with 3,800 of them already at risk by 2050. The driver is climate‑change‑induced sea‑level rise.
These hazardous sites store sewage, toxic waste, oil and gas, and other industrial pollutants that tend to cluster along coastlines because of raw‑material availability and maritime transport. The study finds that almost 80% of the at‑risk sites are located in Florida, New Jersey, California, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas, with the Gulf Coast of particular concern due to its high concentration of oil‑and‑gas and chemical industries.
Sea levels have shifted throughout Earth’s long history, influenced by many natural causes. Changes in Earth’s orbit led to ice ages and warmer periods, with the planet generally warming over the past 12,000 years. In the last century, human-driven global warming has added to these natural changes in sea levels.
While the idea of a global sea level helps us understand overall trends, it doesn’t always tell the full story. For example, in the United States’ Atlantic and Gulf coasts, sea levels are rising faster due to warmer waters and sinking land. In other regions, there is a dramatic fall.
This gallery explores some places in the country where sea levels are changing at an alarming rate. Intrigued? Click on to learn more.