New York Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies New York communities at risk of 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year. Under a high sea level rise scenario, 14 New York communities will face this by 2100, including four New York City boroughs, with significant impacts on Manhattan (12%), Queens (15%), and Brooklyn (15%). Some areas, such as Coney Island and Long Beach, could face chronic inundation as early as 2060. The document argues that curtailing warming to approximately 1.8°C could spare between three and 13 communities by 2100. To address these risks, UCS recommends phasing out risky coastal development, enhancing disaster response frameworks like FEMA's grants, and creating new policies for managed retreat and relocation.

• The Union of Concerned Scientists defines 'chronic inundation' as occurring when high tide floods at least 10 percent of a community's usable, non-wetland area a minimum of 26 times per year, or roughly every other week.
• The number of New York communities facing chronic inundation by 2100 varies by scenario: four communities under the intermediate scenario and 14 under the high scenario. In the high scenario, four of the five New York City boroughs are affected, specifically impacting 12 percent of Manhattan and 15 percent of both Queens and Brooklyn.
• Certain areas will experience chronic inundation significantly before 2100; specifically, Brooklyn’s Coney Island and over 25 percent of Nassau County’s Long Beach are projected to be chronically inundated by 2060.
• Limiting global warming to approximately 1.8°C (the 'low' scenario) could prevent chronic inundation for two New York communities by 2060 and between three and 13 communities by 2100, including the four affected boroughs of New York City.
• UCS proposes three policy response categories: halting policies that encourage risky coastal development (such as updating flood risk maps and building codes), enhancing existing frameworks (including FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program), and creating new measures for retreat and relocation from inundated areas.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2017). New York Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-newyork-fact-sheet.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. New York Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME. 2017. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-newyork-fact-sheet.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=New York Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME |date=July 2017 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-newyork-fact-sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2017new, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{New York Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2017}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2017/07/when-rising-seas-hit-home-newyork-fact-sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }