Steep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions could lessen the threat that sea level rise poses to iconic American cities during the coming centuries by more than half, according to a new study published Monday.
By contrast, if emissions were to follow a so-called "business as usual" trajectory, between 14 to 33 feet of global average sea level rise would be locked into the climate system, submerging land that is currently home to between 20 and 31 million Americans, including in more than 20 cities with populations of 100,000 or more, as well as the majority of residents in many smaller cities, the study found.
