Climate Impacts and Costs

The report details how climate change threatens the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) through sea level rise, intense storms, and extreme heat. It provides specific projections for sea level rise in New Jersey and New York City, notes the increasing frequency of 'nuisance flooding' at The Battery, and highlights the vulnerability of critical assets like LaGuardia Airport's Runway 13/31. The document quantifies historical damages, such as the billions lost during Superstorm Sandy, and lists a comprehensive set of potential adaptation costs, including flood-proofing buildings, elevating infrastructure, and mitigating heat-induced rail and road degradation.

• Relative sea level rise in the northeast U.S. is exceeding the global average, with The Battery tide gauge in Manhattan recording an increase from approximately 3.1 mm/year in the 20th century to 4.4 mm/year between 2000 and 2022.
• Sea level along the New Jersey coast is projected to rise between 0.5 and 1.1 feet by 2030 and up to 2.1 feet by 2050 relative to 2000 levels; by 2100, rises could range from 1.7 to 6.3 feet depending on emission scenarios.
• Tidal flooding, or 'nuisance flooding', is increasing; The Battery experienced 10 high tide flood days in 2019 and 24 flood days in 2023. NOAA predicts coastal cities will see 25 to 75 flood days per year by 2050.
• PANYNJ infrastructure faces significant flood risks; in New York City's transportation region 11, there is a 68% risk of a flood over 6 feet by 2050, threatening 25 rail stations, 35 passenger stations, and two intermodal freight terminals. Additionally, Runway 13/31 at LaGuardia Airport is a subsidence hotspot sinking at approximately 3.7 mm/year.
• Anthropogenic sea level rise significantly increased the impact of Superstorm Sandy on October 30, 2012, flooding an additional 70 square kilometers and causing an extra $4.2 billion in damages in New York and $3.7 billion in New Jersey. The PANYNJ specifically incurred $2.2 billion in damages, including lost operational time.
• Extreme precipitation in the northeastern U.S. increased by over 60% from 1958-2021, with the number of days with over 5 inches of rain increasing from about 5 to 15 days per year over the last 64 years. Such events are predicted to increase another 50% by the end of the century.
• New Jersey and New York City are experiencing rapid warming; New Jersey's average annual temperature has risen about 3.5°F since 1970, while New York City is about 3°F warmer than in 1900 and could be up to 13.5°F warmer by 2100.
• Extreme heat causes operational failures for PANYNJ, including buckling roads and sidewalks, warping railroad tracks, and sagging electric lines, which have led to massive delays for NJ Transit and Amtrak.

APA

Center for Climate Integrity (2024). Climate Impacts and Costs. https://climateintegrity.org//uploads/media/NY-NJ_PortAuthority_Climate-Impacts_Costs.pdf

Chicago

Center for Climate Integrity. Climate Impacts and Costs. 2024. https://climateintegrity.org//uploads/media/NY-NJ_PortAuthority_Climate-Impacts_Costs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for Climate Integrity |title=Climate Impacts and Costs |date=2024 |url=https://climateintegrity.org//uploads/media/NY-NJ_PortAuthority_Climate-Impacts_Costs.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforclimateintegrity2024climate, author = {{Center for Climate Integrity}}, title = {{Climate Impacts and Costs}}, institution = {Center for Climate Integrity}, year = {2024}, url = {https://climateintegrity.org//uploads/media/NY-NJ_PortAuthority_Climate-Impacts_Costs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }