Climate change poses a major threat to the world, but certain places are more exposed to the adverse effects of global warming. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that the rising sea level is threatening low land areas as sea levels doubled from 0.06 inches in the 20th century to 0.14 inches from 2006 to 2015.
NOAA predicts that the rising sea level will worsen and wreak havoc around the world and will affect as many as 250 million people from different continents by the end of the century. Meanwhile, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates the sea level will rise by 16 to 25 inches by 2100.
Which Countries or States Will Disappear by 2100?
Professor Gerd Masselink of the University of Plymouth told Live Science in an email that it depends on what humans are doing to counteract the threat of the rising sea level. For instance, the Netherlands is already below sea level but would not likely disappear because the country is already building and maintaining its coastal defenses.
Another country that is also under threat of the rising sea level is Maldives. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the island country is the flattest country on Earth, consisting of 1,200 small coral islands and is home to 540,000 people. A 1.5 feet (45cm) increase in sea level will put 77% of the country underwater by 2100.
Additionally, the small island country of Kiribati, located at the heart of the Pacific, could lose two-thirds of its land area if sea levels rise by around 3 feet. Kiribati has an estimated population of 120,000. The nonprofit organization Science and Development Network said that nearly everyone who lives on a Pacific island will likely be the one who will be severely affected by rising sea levels.
A 2016 study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters showed that the rising sea level has already led to the disappearance of at least five vegetated reef islands that were once part of the Solomon Islands.
In terms of big countries, China is likely the most affected country, with an estimated 43 million people living in coastal locations. Meanwhile, the European Union-funded Life Adaptate project estimated that Bangladesh will also experience the effects of rising sea levels that will affect 32 million people, followed by India, with 27 million people estimated to be affected.
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Coastal Cities That Might Be Underwater By 2100
Aside from these countries and states, coastal cities are also in danger of being wiped out. The most clear-cut example of this would be Jakarta, Indonesia. According to Earth.org, it is sinking by 2 to 4 inches each year due to excessive groundwater drainage. BBC even reported before that this is the fastest sinking city in the world that could be underwater by 2050.
Due to its dire situation, the capital will be replaced by Nusantara, a city that will be built on the east coast of Borneo is located around 1,200 miles (2,000 km) from Jakarta.
Other coastal cities that will be submerged soon also include Dhaka in Bangladesh, Lagos in Nigeria, and Bangkok in Thailand. In the US, projections show that high-tide flooding is now 300%to 900% more frequent than it was 50 years ago, threatening New York City to be underwater by 2050. According to a study from Climate Central, NYC's vulnerability became evident when Hurricane Sandy impacted the coastal city in 2012.
But aside from New York, Florida seems to be the most certain that will be hit the hardest according to the study. More so, 36 out of the 50 US cities that are most vulnerable to coastal flooding are in the Sunshine State.
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