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Have you ever heard legends about ancient cities swallowed by the sea, like Atlantis? While those are just stories, the idea of the ocean claiming land is becoming a reality for many people today. Sea levels are rising, and they're doing it faster than ever before.

The Creeping Tide: How Much are Sea Levels Rising?

Right now, sea levels are going up by about 3-4 millimetres each year. That might not sound like much, but over a lifetime, it adds up to a lot of water. Scientists have observed more than 20 centimetres of rise since 1880. The rate of rise has more than doubled, from 1.4 millimetres annually through most of the 20th century to 3.6 millimetres per year from 2006 to 2015.

Looking ahead, projections suggest that by the end of this century (around 2100), sea levels could be roughly one meter higher than they were in 1900. Some estimates suggest the rise could even be two to three meters by 2100, though this depends a lot on global emission rates. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates a rise of 40 to 63 centimetres by 2100 compared to 2000 levels.

Why Are the Oceans Rising?

Unfortunately, humans are largely behind this rise. There are two main culprits:

Melting Ice:

Our planet is getting warmer. Global mean temperatures have risen by roughly 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels. This global warming is causing huge ice sheets and glaciers, particularly in Greenland and Antarctica, to melt and disappear. Think about all that ice holding vast amounts of water – when it melts, that water flows into the oceans and makes them rise.

Thermal Expansion:

Water expands as it warms up. It's like the liquid in a thermometer rising when it gets hot. The oceans are warming because they absorb the heat trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. In fact, oceans absorb about 90% of this trapped heat. This warming and expansion process is expected to continue for centuries, even if we stopped all fossil fuel emissions today, because of the CO2 already in the air.

It’s important to note that sea level rise isn't the same everywhere. Ocean currents and gravity can shift water around, making it rise higher in some areas than others.

Which Cities are at Risk?

Rising sea levels threaten people all over the world. One billion people currently live within 10 kilometres of the coast. This includes many major financial hubs like Mumbai, New York, Shanghai, and Jakarta.

As the water rises, it brings big problems. Coastal infrastructure like ports and power plants are threatened. Storm surges and flooding become more intense. Saltwater can ruin farmland and contaminate sources of drinking water.

Some places are facing a double whammy: rising seas AND sinking land. Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is sometimes called the "fastest-sinking city in the world" because the land is sinking by 5 to 10 centimetres each year, largely due to people draining too much groundwater. When you combine this with rising sea levels, much of Jakarta could be underwater by 2050. The situation is so serious that Indonesia is moving its capital city. Other large cities at risk by 2100 include Dhaka in Bangladesh, Lagos in Nigeria, and Bangkok in Thailand.

Many low-lying island nations are particularly vulnerable. The Maldives, the flattest country on Earth, could lose around 77% of its land by 2100 with just a 45 cm sea level rise. Kiribati could lose two-thirds of its land if sea levels rise by 3 feet. Rising seas have already led to the disappearance of at least five islands in the Solomon Islands.

In the United States, many cities are at risk. New York City is considered highly vulnerable, with projections showing nearly half a million people living on "threatened land" by 2050. New York experienced significant damage and loss during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Florida is seen as the state that will be hit hardest, with 36 of the 50 most vulnerable US cities located there.

Large populations in countries like China (43 million), Bangladesh (32 million), and India (27 million) will also be significantly affected. While it seems unlikely any entire countries will disappear by 2100, many millions of people will face major issues.

Adaptation Strategies

So, are these cities and countries doomed?

Not necessarily. People are developing strategies — but they are complex and often expensive.

1. Protection

Building Walls

One common approach is constructing physical barriers like dykes, levees, or embankments to hold back the sea. This method has been used for generations.
- In Germany, authorities regularly calculate how high dykes need to be based on future sea level predictions.
- But it’s expensive — for example, one 750-meter stretch of dyke cost 4.6 million euros.
- These structures also come with risks like the “bathtub effect,” where trapped water can flood if the system fails.
- Walls aren’t suitable for every coastline, especially places where people rely on beach access for their livelihoods.
Natural Barriers

Nature can protect us too. Saltmarshes, mangrove forests, and wetlands act as soft, natural shields.
- Mangroves, with their intricate root systems, can stabilize beaches, prevent erosion, and even help beaches grow by trapping sediment.
- Some can migrate inland as seas rise.
- Unfortunately, many of these natural defenses are being destroyed due to development pressure on valuable coastal land.

2. Accommodation

Living With Water

This means adapting buildings and infrastructure to survive higher water levels.
- In New York, new buildings in flood zones must be raised or waterproofed on lower floors.
- Some are being built 6 feet (2 meters) higher than normal.
Raising Houses

In parts of Indonesia, villagers raise homes on stilts to cope with both rising water and sinking land.
- Newer structures use durable materials like steel to make the stilts stronger.
Floating Structures

Some homes are now being built on floating platforms.
- In the Netherlands, the community of Schoonschip is leading the way.
- There are even proposals for entire floating cities like the UN-backed Oceanix Busan.
- But floating designs face challenges: providing power, clean water, waste systems, and storm resistance.

⚠️ Accommodation helps in the short term — but it’s not enough on its own for the long-term future.

3. Creating Land

If the sea is taking land... why not build new land?
- This method involves dredging sand from the ocean floor to raise or create islands.
- The Maldives, facing extreme threat, is using this method to build new space for homes.
- Globally, an area the size of Luxembourg has already been dredged over the last 25 years — often for real estate.
- Tuvalu is also creating raised land, hoping it remains safe through 2100.

4. Retreat

The most drastic — and often controversial — strategy is planned retreat: moving people away from vulnerable coastal areas.
- Tuvalu has already signed an agreement with Australia to allow some citizens to migrate each year.
- Retreat involves major unknowns — including emotional, cultural, and financial consequences.
- Where will people go? Who pays for it? What happens to the land left behind?
- Tuvalu is even digitally scanning its entire country to preserve it as a 3D virtual nation in case the real island disappears.