Majority of Americans Fear Cities Will Disappear Due to Rising Sea Levels

Many Americans are increasingly aware of the potential consequences of climate change, with a significant number believing that rising sea levels could lead to the loss of entire cities. A recent poll reveals that a majority of respondents anticipate mass displacement of people and severe damage to the global economy as a result of climate change.

A YouGov survey conducted from December 12 to December 15, 2025, among 1,126 U.S. adults, indicates that 56% believe cities will be lost to rising sea levels, while 57% expect mass displacement from certain regions. Additionally, 58% foresee serious economic repercussions stemming from climate change. The survey’s sample was weighted based on various factors, including gender, age, race, education, and political affiliation.

Alarmingly, one-quarter of those surveyed believe that climate change could lead to the extinction of the human race. The survey also highlighted a stark divide in perceptions between Democrats and Republicans. For instance, 82% of Democrats believe climate change will likely damage the economy, compared to just 29% of Republicans. Similarly, 81% of Democrats anticipate mass displacement, while only 32% of Republicans share this view.

Nearly half of the respondents (47%) believe they will witness catastrophic impacts of climate change within their lifetime. Younger adults, particularly those under 30, are more likely to feel that climate change will significantly harm them personally over the next 50 years (22% vs. 14% for older Americans).

Climate Data and Real Estate

In a related development, Zillow recently removed a climate risk data feature for California home buyers after the Regional Multiple Listing Service raised concerns about the accuracy of the flood risk models. However, a climate policy expert in California is working to reinstate this data. According to an article in Inside Climate News, the expert, who previously contributed to California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment, is developing a web plugin that will provide essential climate data for Zillow listings. This plugin aims to automatically display information on wildfire and flood risks, sea level rise, and extreme heat exposure when users view a property listing.

Neil Matouka, the expert behind the initiative, emphasized the need for publicly available, consistent information to help people understand risks. Zillow has stated that its goal is to ensure homebuyers receive accurate information, and it has no objections to displaying reliable climate data.

To avoid the pitfalls of less precise projections, Matouka’s plugin focuses on communicating the “standing potential risks in the area,” rather than specific property risks.

SCS Costliest Peril

A report from Aon plc reveals that severe convective storms (SCS) have overtaken tropical cyclones as the costliest insured peril of the 21st century. According to an article by L.S. Howard in Insurance Journal, total economic losses reached $260 billion, which is 23% below the 21st-century average and the lowest since 2015. This figure includes insured loss claims.

Despite the quieter overall economic losses, insured losses amounted to $127 billion, marking a 27% increase above the long-term average. Notably, 2025 was the sixth consecutive year in which insurance payouts exceeded $100 billion. SCS alone accounted for $61 billion in insured losses globally, with 30 insured loss events exceeding $1 billion during the year—well above the historical average of 17.

Furthermore, over 54% of global economic losses occurred in the U.S., driven primarily by wildfires and SCS. Insured losses in the U.S. reached $103 billion, representing 81% of global industry losses.

Food And Climate

Climate change poses a significant threat to global food security, with projections indicating that over 1 billion people could face food crises by 2100, according to a new study utilizing an AI model. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that conflict and inequality could more than triple the exposure to food crises compared to sustainability and mitigation scenarios.

The study highlights that over 1.1 billion people, primarily in Africa and Asia, could experience at least one severe food crisis by the end of the century. Alarmingly, more than 600 million of these individuals would be under five years old at the time of their first exposure. A shift toward environmental and social sustainability could potentially reduce worst-case cumulative exposure by 69%.

Direct connections between climate and food security include droughts that diminish food availability and drive up prices due to adverse impacts on agricultural production. Indirectly, climate change can exacerbate other factors affecting food security, such as increasing the likelihood of conflict, political instability, and migration.

“Extreme weather events and adverse conditions can increase human mortality, disrupt transportation, and fuel the spread of disease and epidemics,” the study states. These interconnected processes can significantly influence local and global food availability through complex causal links and feedback mechanisms.

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Many Americans are increasingly aware of the potential consequences of climate change, with a significant number believing that rising sea levels could lead to the loss of entire cities. A recent poll reveals that a majority of respondents anticipate mass displacement of people and severe damage to the global economy as a result of climate change.

A YouGov survey conducted from December 12 to December 15, 2025, among 1,126 U.S. adults, indicates that 56% believe cities will be lost to rising sea levels, while 57% expect mass displacement from certain regions. Additionally, 58% foresee serious economic repercussions stemming from climate change. The survey’s sample was weighted based on various factors, including gender, age, race, education, and political affiliation.

Alarmingly, one-quarter of those surveyed believe that climate change could lead to the extinction of the human race. The survey also highlighted a stark divide in perceptions between Democrats and Republicans. For instance, 82% of Democrats believe climate change will likely damage the economy, compared to just 29% of Republicans. Similarly, 81% of Democrats anticipate mass displacement, while only 32% of Republicans share this view.

Nearly half of the respondents (47%) believe they will witness catastrophic impacts of climate change within their lifetime. Younger adults, particularly those under 30, are more likely to feel that climate change will significantly harm them personally over the next 50 years (22% vs. 14% for older Americans).

Climate Data and Real Estate

In a related development, Zillow recently removed a climate risk data feature for California home buyers after the Regional Multiple Listing Service raised concerns about the accuracy of the flood risk models. However, a climate policy expert in California is working to reinstate this data. According to an article in Inside Climate News, the expert, who previously contributed to California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment, is developing a web plugin that will provide essential climate data for Zillow listings. This plugin aims to automatically display information on wildfire and flood risks, sea level rise, and extreme heat exposure when users view a property listing.

Neil Matouka, the expert behind the initiative, emphasized the need for publicly available, consistent information to help people understand risks. Zillow has stated that its goal is to ensure homebuyers receive accurate information, and it has no objections to displaying reliable climate data.

To avoid the pitfalls of less precise projections, Matouka’s plugin focuses on communicating the “standing potential risks in the area,” rather than specific property risks.

SCS Costliest Peril

A report from Aon plc reveals that severe convective storms (SCS) have overtaken tropical cyclones as the costliest insured peril of the 21st century. According to an article by L.S. Howard in Insurance Journal, total economic losses reached $260 billion, which is 23% below the 21st-century average and the lowest since 2015. This figure includes insured loss claims.

Despite the quieter overall economic losses, insured losses amounted to $127 billion, marking a 27% increase above the long-term average. Notably, 2025 was the sixth consecutive year in which insurance payouts exceeded $100 billion. SCS alone accounted for $61 billion in insured losses globally, with 30 insured loss events exceeding $1 billion during the year—well above the historical average of 17.

Furthermore, over 54% of global economic losses occurred in the U.S., driven primarily by wildfires and SCS. Insured losses in the U.S. reached $103 billion, representing 81% of global industry losses.

Food And Climate

Climate change poses a significant threat to global food security, with projections indicating that over 1 billion people could face food crises by 2100, according to a new study utilizing an AI model. The research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, suggests that conflict and inequality could more than triple the exposure to food crises compared to sustainability and mitigation scenarios.

The study highlights that over 1.1 billion people, primarily in Africa and Asia, could experience at least one severe food crisis by the end of the century. Alarmingly, more than 600 million of these individuals would be under five years old at the time of their first exposure. A shift toward environmental and social sustainability could potentially reduce worst-case cumulative exposure by 69%.

Direct connections between climate and food security include droughts that diminish food availability and drive up prices due to adverse impacts on agricultural production. Indirectly, climate change can exacerbate other factors affecting food security, such as increasing the likelihood of conflict, political instability, and migration.

“Extreme weather events and adverse conditions can increase human mortality, disrupt transportation, and fuel the spread of disease and epidemics,” the study states. These interconnected processes can significantly influence local and global food availability through complex causal links and feedback mechanisms.

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