Unfamiliar with the sources of rising sea levels? See our Why is it Rising page for a short description.
Globally:
If by 2100 there was only a 40 cm rise in sea level would increase coastal flooding from 13 million to 94 million (a 723% increase) people globally being affected every year. (IPCC 2007 Report on Sea Level Rise)
Over the 20th century the sea level averaged globally approximately an eight inch increase ( Karl et al. 2009; Mitchum 2011).
According to scientists, sea level could rise globally between 0.2 and 2 meters (8 to 79 inches).
South Carolina:
Areas of the Southeast are more vulnerable than others due to the sinking, or subsidence, of the local land (Sallenger et al. 2012).
The SC coast includes one of the ten fastest growing areas in the country, Myrtle Beach, which is rated highly vulnerable to storm surge. (U.S. Census Bureau 2010)
Charleston, SC is listed as one of the top five cities with the highest risk to a rise in sea level. (Strauss et al. 2012).
-National Climate Assessment 2013
Great Reports to Check Out!
- Surging Sea’s Report on South Carolina
- National Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee has completed a draft climate report.
- “Coastal Sensitivity to Sea-Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region” by U.S. Climate Change Science Program
- Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) list of reports