North Carolina Faces WHEN RISING SEAS HIT HOME

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) identifies numerous North Carolina communities facing 'chronic inundation'—defined as high tide flooding 10% or more of usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year—by 2035 and 2100. Under an intermediate scenario, 13 communities will face this by 2035 and 36 by 2100; under a high scenario, 43 will be affected by 2060 and 63 by 2100. The report emphasizes that curtailing warming could spare between 23 and 37 communities from chronic inundation by the end of the century. Recommended actions include updating flood risk maps, reforming insurance, enhancing FEMA funding, and creating programs for managed retreat and relocation.

• The Union of Concerned Scientists defines 'chronic inundation' as occurring when high tide floods 10 percent or more of a community's usable, non-wetland area at least 26 times per year, or roughly every other week.
• Under the intermediate sea level rise scenario, 13 North Carolina communities will face chronic inundation by 2035, increasing to 36 by 2100. Under the high scenario, 43 communities will be affected by 2060 and 63 by the end of the century.
• Specific communities like Nags Head and Hatteras are projected to see significant land area chronically inundated by 2060 under the high scenario, reaching approximately 19 percent and 28 percent respectively.
• Limiting future warming and sea level rise could prevent chronic inundation for 10 or more North Carolina communities by 2060 and between 23 and 37 communities by 2100.
• Necessary policy responses include phasing out risky coastal development, updating building codes and flood risk maps, increasing funding for FEMA programs, and establishing new programs for retreat and relocation from inundated areas.

APA

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

Chicago

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

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=North Carolina 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-northcarolina-fact-sheet.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2017north, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{North Carolina 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-northcarolina-fact-sheet.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }