Rising Sea Levels: Indonesia's Response Falls Short

Climate Central's recent analysis of global elevations and coastal flood risk projections suggests that risk zones will extend higher and further inland by the end of this century, affecting regions where 93 million people currently reside.

This estimation is based on the latest IPCC medium-to-high emissions scenario. It utilizes population data to ascertain the number of individuals living in areas anticipated to experience heightened coastal flooding due to sea level rise.

In Indonesia, where 10.4 million people currently inhabit the 2030 annual flood risk zone, rising sea levels are projected to jeopardize an additional 6 million individuals by 2100—an increase of 61 percent. These shifts will compel substantial communities to adapt to more frequent and severe threats from coastal flooding.

It highlights a challenge governments will increasingly grapple with in the coming years: crafting policies to protect people and assets from rising seas, particularly in areas with relatively small and distant affected populations. "Such decisions may be imperative well before the land becomes submerged, as coastal floods escalate in frequency and extend farther inland, amplifying their impact on local communities and economies," the report summary states.