Studies of coastal properties around the world have found that the land there is sinking, which may be dramatically increasing the risks to these properties from climate change. This is due in part, ironically, to measures intended to deal with problems caused by other aspects of climate change. As a result, developers and homeowners will need to work more quickly and think more carefully about mitigating the risks that flooding and other climate factors may pose to their properties.
Coastal Properties Sinking as Sea Levels Rise
Studies of land around the world have found that coastlines have been sinking at an average rate of between two and five millimeters per year. This is happening at the same time that seawater is rising, which is causing oceans to rise at a rate of about three millimeters per year. As a result, the effect of ground subsidence is effectively doubling the rate at which coastal properties may be damaging properties along the coastline.
Land Sinking a Byproduct of Climate Change
This sinking is due to drought, which has been aggravated by climate change in many areas. This, in turn, has caused people to pump more groundwater to compensate, increasing the rate of land subsidence. The more that people are forced to drain aquifers to deal with reduced rainfall, the more quickly the land will sink and the faster coastal properties will become uninhabitable.
The Ticking Clock Speeds Up
This phenomenon has many real estate developers and homeowners worried about the time table for addressing climate change, and especially the effects it will have on coastal properties. Due to sinking land, the time table is effectively halved compared to what they thought they had. If measures are not taken to address these problems, many coastal areas may become uninhabitable more quickly than most people realize.
Preparing For Coastal Climate Crises
Coastal communities must increasingly step up efforts to combat the effects of climate change, if they wish to remain along the coastline. This includes hardening infrastructure against extreme weather, as well as using various methods and technologies to protect against rising sea levels and land subsidence. However, if these issues persist, it may be possible that many coastal properties may soon become too unsafe to live on, effectively removing them from the market entirely.
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