Report: Flooding Threat May Triple By 2070

NGO Says Coastal Flooding Damage From Climate Change Could Reach $35 Trillion

(AP)  The number of people threatened by coastal flooding could more than triple by 2070 due to climate change, while the financial impact of flooding could increase by tens of trillions of dollars, according to a report released Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The Paris-based OECD, an international non-governmental organization that collects and studies economic statistics and social data, called for quick action on coastal defenses for cities at risk, saying it can take 30 years to build defenses for vulnerable cities.

About 150 million people could be exposed to coastal flooding by 2070, up from 40 million now, according to the report. The statistics were based on a "1-in-100-year" flooding event, described as a commonly accepted risk assessment standard, with a mean rise in sea level of a 1.6 feet.

The study estimated the financial impact of such a scenario at $35 trillion, compared to $3 trillion today.

The report pointed to the development of Asian "mega-cities," with their soaring populations, as a key factor increasing the risk in coastal flooding.

Calcutta heads a list of the 10 top cities at risk in 2070 in terms of population exposure, with Mumbai, or Bombay, second. Miami, Florida, in ninth place, was the only city in a developed country on the report's list of the 10 top cities at risk due to population exposure.

However, Miami leads the list of cities with the highest value of property and infrastructure assets at risk in 2070 should that "1-in-100-year" flood occur, the report said. Miami also leads in that category today.

[ubrew12]

ralan40 said: "thousands of years ago, Galciers covered canada... at what point did the...steady climate warming over the last several thousands of years become human caused global warming??????"
The causes of previous ice-age''s are difficult to pin down. One things for sure: They are an example of ''positive-reinforcement'' and what they indicate about earths climate should not be taken as comforting. They indicate that the climate reaches certain ''tipping points'' beyond which the climate itself becomes a force for further change. The lesson for Man-caused Global Warming: push the ocean-atmosphere system so far, and it''ll take things where you may not want to go.

[ralan40]

thousands of years ago, Galciers covered canada and the Upper Midwest US. Science has proved the Native Americans Came from Asia by crossing land bridges when the oceans were lower then they are now.

So at what point did the roughly 8-inch-per-century rise in ocean levels and steady climate warming over the last several thousands of years become human caused global warming??????

[ralan40]

thousands of years ago, Galciers covered canada and the Upper Midwest US. Science has proved the Native Americans Came from Asia by crossing land bridges when the oceans were lower then they are now.

So at what point did the roughly 8-inch-per-century rise in ocean levels and steady climate warming over the last several thousands of years become human caused global warming??????

[ralan40]

thousands of years ago, Galciers covered canada and the Upper Midwest US. Science has proved the Native Americans Came from Asia by crossing land bridges when the oceans were lower then they are now.

So at what point did the roughly 8-inch-per-century rise in ocean levels and steady climate warming over the last several thousands of years become human caused global warming??????

[Razzl]

The question should really be focused on where the decision point is--if in 10 years we''ll know that sea level rises can''t be stemmed and that flood barriers built for 2070 will still be overwhelmed by 2100, then different policies need to be looked at--like identifying high ground to shift infrastructure to rather than trying to save the unsaveable...

[ubrew12]

hawksprings said: "Meanwhile, on 12-05-07 Maine and North Dakota had record snowfall amounts."
Which, along with record expected flooding and sea-level rise, are sure signs of Global Warming (hint: there are two ways something can heat, by warming and by changing phase. In Global Warming, we actually only care about the latter).

[hawksprings]

Meanwhile, on 12-05-07 Maine and North Dakota had record snowfall amounts.

[extremophil]

2070? Guess I better get my popsicle sticks and start building my ark. Nahhhhhhhhhh.

[jcr103]

Wow! It''s about time for all you global warming deniers to get a clue. Reality is calling bit**.

[rf35]

Damnit! I was hoping this would happen within my lifetime so I could say "I told you so!" to all the heads-in-the-sand fools who deny global warming.

[icebreaker24]

IT''S ABOUT TIME FOR EVERYONE TO START TAKING
GLOBAL WARMING FOR REAL. GET YOUR ---- HEADS OUT OF THE SAND AND START WORKING TO REVERSE
THE DAMAGE WE ARE DOING TO OUR PLANET!

[micma-2009]

Conservative mongoloids beware. Only a fool makes an enemy of the truth.

[ubrew12]

It''s time they started estimating these costs, and put them into the cost of ''staying the course'' on our energy policy.