Ranking port cities with high exposure and vulnerability to climate extremes: exposure estimates

Nicholls, R.J., Hanson, S., Herweijer, C., Patmore, N., Hallegatte, S., Corfee-Morlot, J., Château, J. and Muir-Wood, R. (2007) Ranking port cities with high exposure and vulnerability to climate extremes: exposure estimates (Environment Directorate Working Papers, ENV/WKP(2007)1) Paris, France. Organisation for Economic and Co-operative development (OECD) 62pp.

Abstract

This global screening study makes a first estimate of the exposure of the world’s large port cities to coastal flooding due to storm surge and damage due to high winds. This assessment also investigates how climate change is likely to impact each port city’s exposure to coastal flooding by the 2070s, alongside subsidence and population growth and urbanisation. The analysis demonstrates that a large number of people are already exposed to coastal flooding in large port cities. Across all cities, about 40 million people (0.6% of the global population or roughly 1 in 10 of the total port city population in the cities considered here) are exposed to a 1 in 100 year coastal flood event. When assets are considered, the distribution becomes more heavily weighted towards developed countries, as the wealth of the cities becomes important. The total value of assets exposed in 2005 is across all cities considered here is estimated to be US$3,000 billion; corresponding to around 5% of global GDP in 2005 (both measured in international USD).
By the 2070s, total population exposed could grow more than threefold to around 150 million people due to the combined effects of climate change (sea-level rise and increased storminess), subsidence, population growth and urbanisation. The asset exposure could grow even more dramatically, reaching US $35,000 billion by the 2070s; more than ten times current levels and rising to roughly 9% of projected global GDP in this period.
On a global-scale, for both types of exposure, population growth, socio-economic growth and urbanization are the most important drivers of the overall increase in exposure. Climate change and subsidence significantly exacerbate this effect although the relative importance of these factors varies by location. The policy implications of this report are clear: the benefits of climate change policies - both global mitigation and local adaptation at the city-scale - are potentially great.

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Contributors

Author: R.J. Nicholls

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