During my visit last month, signs of construction – new shopping malls, cranes towering over new condominiums and scaffolding enclosing freshly built apartment blocks – could be seen across the city, its backers apparently oblivious of scientists' warnings that the foundations of their buildings may be awash very soon.Not that they are alone. In some cities, it’ll be like moving two states south. Miami is just the start. There doesn't look as if anything is going to stop that. It is worth watching just for that reason alone. Swiss Re. The cost of adaptation to climate change required by developing countries, mostly in Asia, is estimated by the World Bank at US$75-100 billion per annum. Then you will find you will no longer be able to get flood insurance for your home. In a study conducted by Asian urbanization will be accompanied by a significant increase in the number of urban poor as migrants continue to move to cities in hopes of economic prosperity. In short, there seems there is nothing that can stop the waters washing over Miami completely.It a devastating scenario. The backyard of the home that he shares with his architect wife, Grey Reid, reflects his passion for the living world. Due to the dense populations along river deltas, industrial development, and relaxed or no environmental protections, river waters often became polluted. This has become an ever more common phenomena in coastal mega-cities, particularly in Asia. It is as simple as that. The local population is steadily increasing; land prices continue to surge; and building is progressing at a generous pace. This includes personalizing content and advertising. Obviously I would.

Climate change. Instead seawater floods up into the gutters of Alton Road, the first main thoroughfare on the western side of Miami Beach, and pours into the street. It is an astonishing story. "It is over for south Florida. Every day, sinking cities are becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters, many of which, are a critical component of their national economies', and some, of the global economy. Will there even be enough water pressure for their fire hoses? We are heating up the atmosphere and then we are heating up the oceans so that they expand and rise. While most other South Miami residences sport bright blue swimming pools and barbecues, Stoddard has created a small lake, fringed with palms and ferns, that would do justice to the swampy Everglades near his home. People still have their heads in the sand about this but it is coming. Third, the land around Norfolk is sinking, a phenomenon called “subsidence,” due in part to continuing adjustments in the earth’s crust to the melting of glaciers from the last ice age. "You won't be able to flush away your sewage and taps will no longer provide homes with fresh water. It is a naturalists' haven but Stoddard is under no illusions about the risks facing his home.

But the flooding is getting worse as the water level in the Adriatic Sea and Venice Lagoon rises due to climate change… The fundamental conditions that gave rise to ancient cities, like The vast majority of sinking cities are located in coastal lowlands. “Climate change mitigation to reduce greenhouse gases is a global issue and has to be dealt with globally,” says Gassman. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Despite its vast wealth, the city might soon be consumed by the waves, for even if all emissions of carbon dioxide were halted tomorrow – a very unlikely event given their consistent rise over the decades – there is probably enough of the gas in the atmosphere to continue to warm our planet, heat and expand our seas, and melt polar ice. It rapidly filled the street and then blocked his front door. All rights reserved.

It makes one thing clear though: mayhem is coming. The trouble is that no one is thinking about climate change or sea-level rises at a senior management level. The first step in mitigating the risks associated with sinking cities is raising awareness among citizens and city officials. "If we cannot protect those sites from these threats -- and they have multiple threats -- how will the future look?" "There has been a rise of about 10 inches in sea levels since the 19th century – brought about by humanity's heating of the planet through its industrial practices – and that is now bringing chaos to Miami Beach by regularly flooding places like Alton Road," says What makes Miami exceptionally vulnerable to climate change is its unique geology. This creates a change in pressure and volume that causes the land to sink. Since the 1950s, the climate system has warmed. Our living-room floor here in south Miami is at an elevation of 10 feet above sea level at present. Studies conducted by the Throughout the twenty-first century, as these cities continued to grow, fresh water became an ever more precious resource. They each cost millions of dollars. "The answer is to install massive pumps as they have done in New Orleans. People are starting to plan in Miami but really they just don't see where it is all going. For more information on how we use cookies consult our revised The most beautiful and emptiest state parks in New EnglandThe most underrated, crowd-free national monuments in the WestFor the perfect day of hiking and Colombian coffee, head to Jardín7 underrated spots in the US for stunning fall colors beyond New EnglandWatch the Perseid meteor shower light up the sky this August Although several miles inland, the house is certainly not immune to the changes that threaten to engulf south Florida. The problem is the city is run by climate change deniers The Miami coastline: there are fears that even a 30cm rise in the sea level could be catastrophic. The problem is particularly severe in autumn when winds often reach hurricane levels. And the higher the seas go, the deeper it will be submerged.Turkey Point was built in the 1970s when sea level rises were not an issue, of course.