A recent NASA study found that several major U.S. cities are beginning to sink because of rising seas and the weight of skyscrapers.

What's happening?

According to the New York Post, which cited data from the study published in Science Advances, San Francisco and Los Angeles are sinking into the Pacific Ocean at a rapid rate, with sea level rise expected to double by 2050. Already, the Central Valley is sinking by around 8 inches per year because of excessive groundwater extraction during droughts, so the added pressures from rising seas will add further risk. 

Since more people live in California than in any other state, and nearly 70% live along the coast, millions of people could be put in harm's way. 

"We are seeing that the area of land experiencing significant impacts has expanded, and the speed is more than enough to put human life and infrastructure at risk," landslide expert Alexander Handwerger told ABC News, per the Post. 

Why are the sinking cities concerning?

Many beachfront properties in the Golden State could be directly impacted by the warming planet and rising tides in the next few decades. The Los Angeles Times reported that property values in the Central Valley are already $7,000 to $16,000 less than they would be without the encroaching ocean. 

If homes continue to lose value, it could lead to significant financial losses and reduce home saleability if potential buyers fear structural damage. In addition, homeowners in California are already grappling with higher insurance premiums, and sea-level rise would only worsen the situation.

Plus, with land sinking by nearly half an inch per year in the Bay Area, saltwater could infiltrate aquifers, contaminating drinking water supplies and damaging crops. 

All of these potential impacts from the changing climate come at a hefty price tag — the California Climate Change Assessment found that if the ocean rises by 20 inches, it could cause structural damage worth nearly $18 billion.

What's being done to help the situation?

The Post stated that the study's findings will go toward creating suitable policies to mitigate the effects of rising seas and formulating a readiness plan. 

However, the best way to help is for society to accelerate the transition to clean energy and move away from the dirty fuels that are driving up temperatures and contributing to extreme weather. While isolated weather events certainly can be devastating, the overall pattern of weather is changing as the Earth warms — and the accumulation of air pollution is one of the main causes. 

To help keep communities safe and resilient in the face of a rapidly changing climate, installing solar panels and backup batteries is a great way to ensure lights remain on even in power outages while greatly reducing electric bills. If you're interested, you can check out TCD's Solar Explorer and snag $10,000 off a home system through EnergySage, a vetted partner with plenty of options for every home and budget.

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