• The impact of sea-level rise includes flooding, habitat destruction, soil erosion, and disappearance of low-lying islands. Rising sea levels also make storm surges capable of much greater damage. (Storm surge is the abnormal rise in seawater level during a storm. Storm surge can penetrate well inland.) Higher sea levels are coinciding with more hurricanes, contributing to more powerful storm surges that can strip away everything in their path.
  • Many birds use coastal ecosystems to find food, live, and breed. Sea turtles lay their eggs on beaches, returning to the same location every year. When beaches erode, these animals and birds will be affected.
  • Rising sea levels will lead to the displacement of people. It could create 187 million climate refugees by 2100, according to a study.