Coastal cities in California, Florida and New York will be affected by rising sea levels by 2100. (Photo : Climate Central)
By the year 2100, millions of people from the United States will be forced to evacuate their homes if greenhouse gas emissions continue at current rates this century, that will cause unprecedented rising of sea levels up to more than 14 feet, according to scientists.
There will be an estimated 20 to 31 million people who will be forced to flee their homes as rising oceans will submerge these regions if no immediate and aggressive action is applied to greenhouse gas emissions according to this new study.
According to lead author of the study, Benjamin Strauss of Climate Central, this scenario will most likely occur if global average temperatures rise to 3.3 degrees Celsius beginning from pre-industrial levels, by the end of 2100.
Scientists warn how Antarctic ice sheets along with major glaciers from other polar regions will melt as global temperatures increase that will lead to sea levels rising at a significant rate. Strauss also adds that buying or investing in property is South Florida is ill advised, in particular.
Among the regions that will be hard hit by rising seas are California coastal areas, New York and many other cities along the U.S. east coast if carbon emissions will not be cut in a drastic manner, says Strauss.
A new United Nations deal to be agreed upon this December in order to combat climate change will involve more than 145 countries including the United States. This would mean that the amount of carbon emissions that wil be cut down by the U.S., should be by far larger than the amount that the nation has already pledged to prevent this from happening.
According to an independent, scientific analysis group, Climate Action Tracker, if these plans are carried out and implemented accordingly, global warming will be curbed to 2.7 degrees Celsius which is still higher than the proposed limit of 2 degrees across nations.
Strauss says that all countries' actions today will determine the sea level rise of tomorrow. He further stresses that we can act or we can delay and leave a legacy of irreversible damage to rising seas that will destroy humanity's most iconic cities.
Researchers also note that this new study has not determined the effects of rising sea levels in other countries.This new study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
