Visualizing global warming clearly can be challenging. How can you tell whether something is truly happening if you’re not being endangered by wildfires, water shortages, or rising sea levels? Sometimes it all seems a bit abstract.
This is the reason initiatives such as Climate Central are so important. The maps produced by this website indicate the regions of the world that are at risk of flooding due to sea level rise. Given the ongoing pollution, global warming, and melting of the polar ice caps, which cities worldwide could experience a drop in sea level as early as 2030? In order to learn more, we examined the most recent maps from Climate Central, which are based on some of the most trustworthy climate change data available—the IPCC’s 2021 report.
Of course, there are many factors to consider, but in this case, our focus is on the potential consequences of maintaining the current rate of global warming. Future tide lines are indicated on these maps (in red), but they do not depict potential flooding or other extreme weather conditions.
From now and 2030, a lot might change. Building flood barriers, making necessary urban adaptations, and, ideally, seeing our governments act decisively to avert the climate catastrophe are all possible options. But in the event that none of that occurs, the following outcomes could occur: Fifteen cities that might completely (or mostly) submerge in water in the next ten years.
Cities that could be underwater by 2030
1. Amsterdam [Netherlands]
They are known as the Low Countries for a reason. The cities of Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam are low, level, and adjacent to the North Sea. The Netherlands is well-known for its flood defenses, and based on these sea-level estimates, it appears that the nation’s network of floodgates, levees, dams, and barriers will become even more crucial in the years to come.
2. Basra [Iraq]
The largest port city of Iraq, Basra, is located next to the Shatt al-Arab, a massive river that empties into the Persian Gulf. Because of the surrounding marshes, its complex system of canals, and streams, Basra and its environs are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. And if that wasn’t concerning enough, Basra already faces serious risks from watery illnesses, making rising floods even more dangerous.
3. Malé [Maldives]
The Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, appears to have started constructing a floating city in response to the threat posed by increasing sea levels. As it stands, the infrastructure of the Maldives and the surrounding islands are more in danger than the capital city of Malé itself. Rising tide levels are a major concern for everything from the airport to a large portion of the island of Hulhumalé.
4. Bangkok [Thailand]
According to a 2020 study, Bangkok may experience the greatest short-term effects of global warming of any metropolis. The capital of Thailand is only 1.5 meters above sea level and is sinking, far quicker than Venice—roughly two to three centimeters every year. However, Bangkok is significantly more vulnerable to flooding because it is situated on extremely dense clay soil. The majority of the coastal regions of Samut Prakan and Tha Kham, as well as its principal airport, Suvarnabhumi International, may be submerged by 2030.
5. Kolkata [India]
Because of its rich terrain, a large portion of west Bengal has prospered for generations; nevertheless, as the map above illustrates, this has given Kolkata and the neighboring areas serious cause for concern. As there is less area for rainfall to flow off onto during the monsoon season, the city may suffer similar to Ho Chi Minh City. Even more alarming is this scenario map depicting possible conditions in 2100.
6. Venice [Italy]
Venice will soon have to contend with two threats: the city is sinking by two millimeters annually and sea levels are rising. The capital of Venice has already seen severe floods, and high tides that submerge it more frequently are predicted to occur due to climate change. Similar to New Orleans, Venice has put in place a system of flood defenses, but as the situation worsens, it will become more difficult and expensive to maintain.
7. New Orleans [USA]
Take note of the broad, jagged grey boundaries surrounding the heart of New Orleans on the map above. The city is shielded from the red building up from Lake Maurepas in the north and Little Lake and Lake Salvador in the south by this system of levees. Rising water levels would pose a serious threat to New Orleans without those defenses, but even with them, the damage appears to be irreparable. Particularly at risk are the Jean Lafitte and Biloxi wildlife preserves, which both appear to be nearly completely flooded on the map.
8. Savannah [USA]
Savannah, Georgia, is located in a hurricane hotspot, yet even in the absence of severe weather, the historic city may see its land completely submerged by the sea. Since the Ogeechee River in the south and the Savannah River in the north may both overflow into the adjacent marshland, the effects of hurricanes and flash floods may be even more severe when they do strike the city (which is expected to experience once-in-a-century historical flood levels annually by 2050).
9. Nagoya [Japan]
Some coastal Japanese cities, from Chiba to Osaka, are vulnerable to increasing sea levels due to their built-up nature, particularly during typhoon season, which typically runs from May to October. While most are prepared to handle situations like these, Nagoya, Japan’s fourth-largest city and industrial port, may be facing serious issues. The map indicates that the western portions of the city may lie below the tidal line due to the Nagara and Kiso rivers.
10. Khulna [Bangladesh]
Khulna, the third-biggest city in Bangladesh, is only nine meters above sea level. A large portion of the nation is susceptible to severe flooding, as demonstrated by the destructive floods of 2021; Khulna appears to be even more vulnerable, according to Climate Central. The red is slowly making its way into the city from the west, in the direction of Khulna Agricultural University and Khulna University.