(VitalNews.org) – Experts have said that Miami is at the highest risk for climate change, particularly rising sea levels. Rising seas are expected to cover a lot of the Miami area in the coming decades. According to experts, by 2060, Miami will be sixty percent covered by water.
Surprisingly, Miami is currently experiencing a boom of people moving there despite the climate threats to the area.
Sonia Brubaker, chief resilience officer for the City of Miami said “It’s ground zero for climate change.”
Daniel Habiban is just one resident who is worried about climate changes. His boutique sits just a few blocks away from the Atlantic Ocean and he is worried about how the rising sea levels could affect his business.
“Miami is almost at sea level, so a bit of water can take it underwater,” he said.
Miami is a huge tourist spot and there are many reasons one would want to move or visit there. “We like living here,” Habiban said. “So we’ll see what happens.”
In the Miami area of Florida there are almost six million people and construction volume has grown 70% since last year. This goes to show that many Americans are overlooking the risk of climate changes despite them being aware and knowledgeable about the conditions. While residents moving into the area are fine for now, this could be a huge financial issue if environmental issues persist as expected.
Miami’s average elevation is about six feet, which matches the expected level of sea rise. High tide rise, which is known as “sunny day flooding” has been up heavily for years now in the area.
Miami has been deemed as one of the top ten vulnerable cities by the Researchers at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. When looking at the full amount of assets of the city and the damage that could be done, it’s listed as the number one most vulnerable.
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