The real estate data firm Zillow recently published a research analysis that estimated rising sea levels could leave nearly 2 million U.S. homes inundated by 2100, a fate that would displace millions of people and result in property losses in the hundreds of billions of dollars. More than 100,000 of those homes would be in Maryland and Virginia, according to the analysis. And Florida would face the gravest scenario of any state, with one in eight properties in danger of being underwater. For the moment, let’s leave aside the larger debate about how much the water actually will rise. Sharp cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in coming decades could lessen the impact, however, leaving the increase closer to two feet.

Source: thestar August 24, 2016 23:03 UTC