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Visualizations show downtown Honolulu under water in future

Graphic show possible extent of flooding as climate change advances
Source: Climate Central

Honolulu, HAWAII — Dramatic new visualizations show the potential impacts of rising sea levels on cities worldwide, including Downtown Honolulu, with much of Oahu’s urban core underwater if the world continues on its “current carbon path” and sees 3 degrees Celsius in global warming.

The visualizations were put together by Climate Central, a research organization focused on climate change. The group concludes major cities “will need to mount globally unprecedented defenses or lose most of their populated areas to unremitting sea level rise lasting hundreds of years.”

The visualizations show that even if the globe sharply cuts carbon pollution but sees 1.5 degrees Celsius in global warming, Downtown Honolulu will see major impacts from sea level rise.

One visualization shows Iolani Palace inundated by floodwaters in a worst-case scenario.

Climate Central said 3 degrees Celsius in global warming would have dire impacts for worldwide.

In fact, their research concluded in that future scenario the high tide line could creep above land that’s now occupied by about 10% of the globe’s population or over 800 million people.