Effect of Sea Level Rise on Communities lower on the Socioeconomic Scale

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sea level along coastlines is projected to rise about 10–12 inches in the next 30 years which is comparable to how much the sea level has risen over the past 100 years. Climate change is causing the sea level to rise in a couple of major ways. One is that ice sheets and glaciers are melting around the globe adding a lot of water to the oceans. The second is that due to the warming water temperatures, the volume of the ocean is expanding. These two reasons are influencing the sea level and causing it to rise exponentially which is having a significant impact on coastal cities in the United States. As the sea levels continue to rise, communities with a lower socioeconomic status located in coastal cities across the United States are significantly more vulnerable to and disproportionately affected by the effects.

These communities that are located in the inner city and that are lower on the socioeconomic scale are primarily minority and low-income populations. Low-income families have limited access to resources like food, healthcare, and education while also having lower-paying jobs. Also, many racial and ethnic minority communities, such as African Americans and Latino Americans, are lower on the socioeconomic ladder due to systemic racism, inequalities, and discrimination. As a result of these factors, many large minority communities are located in large coastal cities where there are more jobs.

Sea level rise will disproportionately affect these low-income and minority populations due to their limited access to resources. Resources that are normally available to the middle or upper classes in society are very limited and scarce. According to a research study conducted by Brookings, “On household income, both large metro areas and their big cities tend to be more unequal places than the nation as a whole.” it describes how there is a much larger household income gap in cities than elsewhere in the country. This study conveys how these low-income and minority communities located in cities are already at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the United States. Additionally, American Geophysical Union says that in communities right outside of San Francisco, “more than 50% of households will be facing financial instability, highlighting the need for immediate policy interventions that target existing, socially produced risk rather than waiting for potentially elusive certainty in sea level rise projections.” As sea level continues to rise, policies need to be put into place right now to ensure that these communities lower on the socioeconomic scale are taken care of and supplied with the necessary resources needed to survive.

Currently in place is the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) managed by FEMA which aims to reduce the impact of flooding on housing and communities. Specifically relating to communities lower on the socioeconomic scale located in cities, NFIP can offer financial assistance to victims as well as making flood insurance more accessible and affordable. While this program is in place, there needs to be a policy or program that specifically addresses the disproportionate effects between lower socioeconomic communities compared to other communities.