Climate change is projected to increase US flood risk by over twenty-five percent
In short: A modelling study of the United States found that climate change alone is expected to drive a 26.4% increase in flood risk by 2050. The research also shows that current annual flood losses, estimated at US$32.1 billion in 2020, are disproportionately borne by poorer communities.
The study used inundation modelling to project future risks under different climate and population scenarios. It found that while climate change significantly raises risk, projected population shifts could potentially quadruple the impact of climate change alone.
The findings highlight that future risks will disproportionately affect Black communities and remain concentrated along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. However, the study's reliance on specific climate and population scenarios means results may vary with different projections.
Why it matters: Future flood risks in the US will likely intensify and hit marginalized communities hardest.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Wing et al. (2022). Inequitable patterns of US flood risk in the Anthropocene. Nature Climate Change. · cc-by
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