Rising sea levels set to displace 45 million people in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tianjin if earth warms 4 degrees from climate change
Rising sea levels will swallow up land if nothing is done to stop it, study by US-based group says
Some 45 million people in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tianjin will be displaced as the cities slip under the waves when global temperatures rise 4 degrees Celsius if nothing is done to curb climate change, according to a study released on Monday.
The displaced population could be cut to 23.4 million if an upcoming climate summit limited global warming to 2 degrees, scientists at the US-based group Climate Central said.
Under the 4-degree scenario, China would be the country most affected, with Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tianjin among its cities hardest hit. Globally, land occupied by more than 600 million people would be submerged.
A 2-degree rise in temperatures would affect areas with some 280 million people globally.
"Warming of 2 degrees Celsius will pose a long-term existential danger to many great coastal cities and regions," said lead author Ben Strauss, vice-president for sea level and climate impacts at Climate Central.
