There’s not a day goes by when you don’t hear about ‘climate change’ in the media. Our life style over the last 50 years burning fossil fuels (coal,oil and gas) has created vast amounts of CO2, as CO2 is a heavier gas than air, it acts like a blanket around the planet keeping the heat inside. As the atmosphere warms up, so the polar ice shields are melting. A rise of even 2 degrees is considered the most the Earth can tolerate without risking catastrophic changes to food production and water reserves.
Like lots of other countries that have a coastline, the United States of America is about to face the wrath of Nature. The US is facing the possibility of 400 of its cities to be uninhabitable by 2085. Most of the citizens in these low-lying cities reside within five feet of the current high tide boundary.
The study was published in the journal Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences which stays that the fate of these 400 cities, which include Miami, New York and New Orleans, cannot be changed. Florida is at the greatest risk which holds a population of 40 percent of the entire US population. Three other states that are at potential risk are California, Louisiana and New York. New Orleans is said to be the most compromised because 98 percent of its populated land will be under the sea in future. Miami will also not be able to resist the high tides because its flatness and limestone foundation will give away.
Researchers say even if we are to make aggressive carbon emission cuts, the future of the millions of Americans living near the coasts cannot be changed. But the reduction of carbon usage and shift to renewable sources can save the other iconic coastal cities of US. If the climate change continues at the current rate, home to 20 million people across various states of US will be affected.