Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Rising Seas

The Union of Concerned Scientists developed a screening tool to identify coastal 'climate equity hotspots' where high climate risk overlaps with socioeconomic vulnerability. Applying this to 35 counties across the East and Gulf Coasts, the report finds that low-income and minority communities face disproportionate burdens from sea level rise and storm surges, often exacerbated by inadequate disaster recovery policies. It advocates for targeted federal funding, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and the use of actionable science to build resilience in frontline communities.

• The report introduces a screening tool to identify 'climate equity hotspots' by combining a climate risk indicator (sea level rise and tidal flooding projections through 2045) with a socioeconomic risk indicator (per-capita income, poverty rates, race/ethnicity, and education).
• Analysis of 35 coastal counties indicates that all will experience more than 4 inches of sea level rise by 2030 and more than 10 inches by 2045 under mid-range projections, with Louisiana and Virginia being particularly affected.
• Tidal flooding is projected to increase significantly for nearly all 25 counties with available data, with at least a three-fold increase by 2030 and most seeing at least a 10-fold increase by 2045.
• Current disaster aid and recovery policies often fail frontline communities because they prioritize homeowners and businesses over renters or those in public housing, and evacuation plans frequently overlook those without cars or with mobility challenges.
• Historical settlement patterns and systemic isolation have increased the vulnerability of African American communities; for example, in Dorchester County, MD, these communities were historically settled in low-lying, swampy areas that were more affordable.
• In Gulfport, MS, the loss of coastal wetlands to development has disproportionately increased flooding risks for low-income African American communities, such as Turkey Creek.
• Plaquemines Parish, LA, faces extreme risks from land subsidence and sea level rise, with wetlands being lost at a rate of 40 square miles per year.
• In Charleston, SC, tidal flooding is routine and projected to increase from 24 times per year currently to more than 180 times per year by 2045, with elderly and low-income residents being the most vulnerable.
• The cities of Hialeah and Opa-locka, FL, are vulnerable to inland flooding and groundwater contamination because they sit on porous limestone, with projected sea level rise of 9 to 24 inches by 2060.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2015). Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Rising Seas. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/11/surviving-and-thriving-executive-summary.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Rising Seas. 2015. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/11/surviving-and-thriving-executive-summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Rising Seas |date=November 2015 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/11/surviving-and-thriving-executive-summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2015surviving, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Surviving and Thriving in the Face of Rising Seas}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2015}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2015/11/surviving-and-thriving-executive-summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }