National Landmarks at Risk

The report highlights the vulnerability of iconic U.S. landmarks to climate-driven events. It details how sea level rise and storm surges threaten coastal sites like the Statue of Liberty and Jamestown, while increased heat and drought drive destructive wildfires in the West, affecting sites like Mesa Verde. The authors argue that climate resilience must become a national priority, requiring both resource allocation for site protection and a reduction in carbon emissions to mitigate future risks.

• Sea level rise and storm surges are causing significant damage to coastal landmarks. For example, Hurricane Sandy's storm surge inundated 75 percent of Liberty Island and almost all of Ellis Island, destroying electrical infrastructure and security systems. In St. Augustine, Florida, a sea level rise of three feet—possible by 2065 under a worst-case scenario—could permanently inundate parts of the city's historic districts.
• Coastal erosion is threatening irreplaceable archaeological remains, particularly in Alaska. Warming air and ocean temperatures have led to permafrost thaw and a reduction in winter sea ice, leaving coasts vulnerable to storm waves. This is affecting Cape Krusenstern National Monument and the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, as well as the villages of Kivalina and Shishmaref.
• In the western United States, climate change has extended the wildfire season by more than two months between 1970 and 2012. Higher temperatures and reduced soil moisture increase the risk of high-intensity fires and subsequent flash floods. These conditions have impacted sites such as Mesa Verde National Park, where back-to-back fires in 2000 burned nearly half of the park's 52,000 acres.
• Climate impacts are forcing a change in archaeological practices. At Jamestown Island, Virginia, the threat of sea level rise is so severe that archaeologists are reconsidering the standard practice of leaving artifacts in the ground, fearing they will be submerged forever.
• Multiple NASA facilities have suffered substantial financial losses due to climate-related storms. The John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana experienced approximately $760 million in damages from Hurricane Katrina.
• The authors argue that planning and adaptation are insufficient given the scale of the threat. They call for climate resilience to be made a national priority with dedicated resources, alongside a reduction in carbon emissions to slow the pace of change.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2014). National Landmarks at Risk. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/National-Landmarks-at-Risk-Executive-Summary.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. National Landmarks at Risk. 2014. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/National-Landmarks-at-Risk-Executive-Summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=National Landmarks at Risk |date=May 2014 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/National-Landmarks-at-Risk-Executive-Summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2014national, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{National Landmarks at Risk}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/National-Landmarks-at-Risk-Executive-Summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }