Coastal communities will experience fivefold increase in concurrent heatwaves and sea level surges by mid-century.

Coastal communities are amongst the most vulnerable to climate change impacts such as hurricanes, coastal storms, tsunamis, landslides and heatwaves, as well as longer-term risks of coastal erosion and sea level rise. These communities often do have sufficient human and financial resources to navigate these extreme weather events. As we continue to emit carbon dioxide emissions in the race for development and economic goals, climate change impacts are compounding, posing even more dangerous risks for coastal communities. 

A recent study published by researchers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University have found that heatwaves and sea level surges occur simultaneously and could result in devastating the livelihood and health of the coastal communities, as these concurrent events exceed the coping capacity of these communities. This phenomenon, known as Concurrent Heat Wave and Extreme Sea Level (CHWESL) events. High temperatures not only precede storms, but also persist during them, battering populations with two extremes at once.   The researchers project that such simultaneous occurrence of extreme weather events could multiply by fivefold by mid-century. 

Moreover, previous research has also demonstrated that heat contributes to storm systems such as tropical cyclones, resulting in rising sea levels, according to Shuo Wang, co-author and assistant professor of hydroclimatic extremes. As our polar regions that regulate the Earth’s heat continue to melt further warming oceans and air, we will see a rise in intense coastal storms.  

Between 1998 and 2017, global coastal areas saw an average of 3.7 days more of these combined events per year than in the previous two decades. According to the study, under a worst-case scenario in which greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, these events are expected to grow by an average of 31 days per year by 2049. Tropical regions such as Southeast Asia, West Africa, and eastern South America would experience the biggest rises. 

With 40% of the world’s population living in the tropics and billions of people at the risk of facing the dangerous consequences of simultaneous extreme weather events, we need immediate phasing out of fossil fuels and cuts to global greenhouse gas emissions. Governments must invest in adapting coastal infrastructure to safeguard residents from changing conditions. Early warning systems that measure the numerous variables contributing to complex disasters are also needed to assist citizens’ preparedness. 

Read more on this story – Coastal Communities Urged to Prepare for Increasingly Severe Heatwaves and Sea Level Surges 

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