As glaciers and sea ice melt, coastal communities around the world are contending with challenges associated with rising sea levels.

In Hampton Roads, Virginia, the sea level has risen by over an inch in the past five years. If the water continues to rise at this rate, the area could see anywhere from 1.5 to 3 feet of sea level rise in the span between 1992 and 2050.

What's happening?

Nearby Norfolk, Virginia, might be seen as an interesting indicator for rising waters on the East Coast. Recently, it has experienced a yearly sea level rise of about 0.25 inches.

"We are accelerating at a high rate compared to a lot of the rest of the country, but that rate hasn't been changing," Molly Mitchell, a professor at the College of William & Mary, told local public radio station WHRO.

While that consistent quarter of an inch per year may seem small, it has many in the state worried. Rising sea levels, meanwhile, are just one of the many concerns that coastal cities are facing.

"You hear about sea level changes that are kind of a global rate, but what's happening at any given place is a combination of a lot of different factors," Mitchell said.

Factors like subsidence — or a gradual sinking of the land — and shifting tectonic plates can exacerbate how quickly city structures might drop as sea levels rise. All of these issues can result from glacial melting, and for areas with a lot of low and flat land, flooding can be particularly dangerous. 

Why are rising sea levels concerning?

Coastal communities around the world are aiming to adapt to sea level rise and sinking lands while grappling with their effects. With climate change supercharging hurricanes in vulnerable regions, residents are coping with damage from floods and surges just as local leaders are hoping to launch infrastructure projects that might protect them from the next storm.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the deadliest and costliest on record. Facing the loss of human life as well as property destruction can make it both more challenging and more critical to solve a crisis that promises to hit the same neighborhoods — and hard — again and again.

Extreme weather events are part of life on Earth. However, human-caused climate change has increased their frequency and severity. Burning dirty energy sources produces the heat-trapping pollution that increases temperatures and upends weather systems, burdening coastal communities in particular and often disproportionately impacting marginalized populations.

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What can be done about rising sea levels?

The city of Norfolk is currently pursuing a multi-year $2.6 billion project to build surge barriers, floodwalls, and levees. Other municipalities are considering the same. A number have seen federal funding cuts so far this year, but some are looking to state and local resources to keep these efforts on track.

Meanwhile, municipalities and individuals are looking for strategies to reduce their reliance on dirty energy sources while strengthening energy systems against storm-caused outages. One option that can address both is installing solar panels.

Coupling solar panels with a battery system can help improve your home's resilience to extreme weather by making power available even when the rest of the grid is knocked out. Leveraging solar systems can also bring energy costs down to or near $0. EnergySage provides a free service to those interested in solar that compares quotes from vetted local installers and can make it possible to save up to $10,000 on installations.

As rising sea levels, sinking lands, and tectonic shifts pose chaos, residents might feel empowered by taking control of their energy access. Communities can also come together to coordinate safety plans in advance of storms, ensuring they'll be able to share information and resources afterward. And supporting pro-environment policies can help to ensure cities and towns can fund the infrastructure projects they need to survive.

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