New York Statue of Liberty National Monument
If world leaders don’t sharply curb greenhouse gas pollution and instead allow the planet to warm by 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, the monument surrounding the Statue of Liberty in New York City could be completely underwater. Rising seas would also impact 2.4 million people in the city.
Averting that level of warming won’t mean everything is OK, though. There are currently around 460,000 people living at or below the current high tide mark in the city. The report shows that number would rise to 830,000 people at just 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit of heating above preindustrial levels. But limiting warming can allow us to slow the rate of rise and find ways to adapt with more water.
