Coastal Flooding Will Hit World's Biggest Polluters Hardest

Three of the world's heaviest polluters will likely face the greatest human and financial costs caused by coastal flooding, one of the effects of climate change. According to a report released Monday by Christian Aid, an anti-poverty organization, people living in the U.S., China and India -- three of the world's very worst offenders in terms of greenhouse gas emission -- face the greatest risks posed by coastal flooding. By 2060, more than a billion people worldwide will likely confront coastal flooding due to sea level rise, storm surges and extreme weather, with the majority of those people living in major cities throughout Asia. Calcutta, India, tops the list, where around 1.3 million people are currently exposed to coastal flooding. By 2070, that number is expected to balloon to 14 million, according to the report. Mumbai ranks second, where an estimated 11.4 million people could face disruption due to flooding by 2070. Dhaka, Bangladesh, is third with a projected 11.1 million vulnerable people. The poorest residents in these areas are likely to be hit hardest, as they would be ill-suited to respond to extreme climate events and would have the most difficult time rebuilding their lives afterward. “Cruelly, it will be the poor that will suffer the most. Although the financial cost to cities in rich countries will be crippling, wealthier people will at least have options to relocate and receive insurance protection," Dr Alison Doig, one of the authors of t...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news