Sea level rise worsens

In 2022, the global average sea level reached arecord high, having risen four inches above 1993 levels. Polar ice cap melt is accelerating, and a 2024studyfound that Greenland's ice sheet is melting 20 percent faster than previously believed. Pacific Island nations are disproportionately affected by sea level rise, with some at risk of being inundated as soon as 2050. A recentstudyof the EU and UK found that the costs of sea level rise could reach nearly €900 billion by 2100, and anotherreportby the U.S. EPA demonstrated that coastal hazardous waste facilities could be impacted as soon as 2100, releasing pollutants into the groundwater. Planners and communities must act now to prepare for sea level rise today and into the future, which will jeopardize cultures, economies, and livelihoods. For more on the risks of sea level rise in coastal communities across the U.S., check out PAS Report 596,Planning for Infra structure Resilience.