Scientists identify 6 cities that could face disaster within a generation: 'Pose a major threat to infrastructure'

Scientists have known for decades that our sea level is rising. Rising global temperatures caused by pollution have led to melting ice from glaciers and the poles running into the ocean, leading to water inching up our coastlines while the coasts themselves erode. 

Cities on the sea are at the greatest risk, but a new report singles out the six cities in Florida where sea level rise is going to cause problems, not in 100 years, but in the next 20, Newsweek reported.

What's happening?

Florida has a lot of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Coast, and that coast is well-populated. Many large cities are located there, taking advantage of the Sunshine State's beautiful beaches and sea attractions.

New research from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science analyzed the rate of sea level rise along the coast of Florida and found that there was no location where the sea level was decreasing. Instead, some areas were more vulnerable because of ocean currents and the land itself sinking. Much of Florida was experiencing faster sea level rise than the global average.

Pensacola was worst off with its sea level rise at a rate of 3.709 millimeters (0.15 inches) a year. Fort Myers and St. Petersburg were both close behind at 3.706 millimeters. Cedar Key had the fastest acceleration — unsurprising, given its island locale — and even Jacksonville, which had the slowest sea level rise, registered at 3.287 millimeters a year.

Why is sea level rise in Florida important?

Floridians are already starting to feel the effects of rising sea levels. Flooding has gotten more common even without storm weather during "king tides," and during hurricanes, the higher water means more severe damage. Insurers are pulling out of the state, and even when they stay, rates are rising. All of this means more danger and increased costs for everyone who lives there.

Jennifer Carpenter, the deputy executive director of Conservation and Government Relations for The Nature Conservancy in Florida, told Newsweek that inland infrastructure is also at risk. "Streets and stormwater infrastructure close to sea level along the coast flood more frequently during king tides," she said. "In South Florida, these flooding effects can be experienced miles inland, due to the porous limestone bedrock and a water table that is very near the surface. These occurrences can not only be a nuisance but can also pose a major threat to infrastructure. 

"This risk to infrastructure in urban environments from rising sea levels include coastal roads, stormwater infrastructure, buried pipes, and pumping infrastructure that controls our drinking water and wastewater systems."

What's being done about rising sea levels?

Researchers and entrepreneurs are hard at work on ways to restore Arctic ice. However, in the long term, the only way to solve sea level rise is to cool down the planet. That means reducing pollution, both at home and by changing policies to rein in large corporations.

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