The major threat of rising sea levels : the consequences (1/2)

After last week’s article on the scientific data of rising sea levels, it is time for us to have a look at how they would affect millions of people and possibly destroy assets worth billions.

The OECD report mentioned last week gives us further data on this very topic and the least I can say is that the situation is truly frightening with possible catastrophes in many countries.

The vast majority of risks are located in Asia, and more particularly in India and China as their coastal populations are due to increase in an important way.

The data provided below is forecasts of damages induced by a one-in-a-century flood by 2070. The report takes into account the forecast increase of both population and wealth.

The increase of the sea levels used for this report was of 50 centimeters, a strict minimum as we saw last week.

United States of America :

• New York City : Population : 2.9 million  | Assets : 2,150 billions USD
• New Orleans : Population : 1.4 million  | Assets : 1,013 billions USD
• Miami : Population : 4.8 million  | Assets : 3,510 billions USD

India

• Mumbai (Bombay) Population : 11.4 million  | Assets : 1,600 billions USD
• Kolkata (Calcutta) Population : 14 million  | Assets : 1,960 billions USD

China

• Guangdong : Population : 10.3 million  | Assets : 357 billions USD
• Ningbo : Population : 3.3 million  | Assets : 1,070 billions USD
• Shanghai : Population : 5.5 million  | Assets : 1,770 billions USD
• Hong Kong : Population : 7 million | Assets : 1,160 billions USD

Japan :

• Tokyo : Population : 2.5 million  | Assets : 1,200 billions USD
• Osaka-Kobe : Population : 2 million  | Assets : 970 billions USD
• Nagoya : Population : 1.3 million  | Assets : 620 billions USD

Other Asian Cities :

• Dhaka (Bangladesh) : Population : 11 million  | Assets : 544 billions USD
• Chittagong (Bangladesh) : Population : 2.9 million  | Assets : 140 billions USD
• Rangoon (Burma) : Population : 5 million  | Assets : 172 billions USD
• Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) : Population : 9.2 million  | Assets : 650 billions USD
• Jakarta (Indonesia) : Population : 2.3 million  | Assets : 321 billions USD
• Bangkok (Thailand) : Population : 5.1 million  | Assets : 1,117 billions USD

As you can see, if untreated, climate change would have a lot of dire consequences for many cities around the world as it would drastically increase the amounts of damages induced by floods and storms.

Next week I will conclude this series of articles with data regarding France. Even if this country won’t be the most hit by the phenomena, it will have many consequences of all kind.

So for this and for much more stay tuned !