Sea level rise threats discussed at UN Climate Mobility Summit

At the 4th Climate Mobility Summit held in New York during the 81st UN General Assembly, representatives addressed the escalating threats posed by rising sea levels. Max Puig, Executive Vice President of the Dominican Republic’s National Council for Climate Change and Carbon Market, emphasized that no Caribbean nation can address these changes in isolation. He called for concerted regional action, data-driven adaptation plans, and international financing to protect coastal populations, cultural heritage, and economic infrastructure.

In New York, projections indicate that up to 800,000 residents could live in high-risk flood zones by 2050, with global sea level rise speeds having doubled in recent years. Local officials have identified 86 priority zones for investment, focusing on infrastructure improvements such as sewage upgrades and rain gardens to mitigate the impact of frequent and intense coastal flooding and heavy rainfall.