Member-only story
Climate Crisis: Jakarta is Sinking and Key American Cities are Next
2050 used to seem far off, but in 2023 it is a mere 27 years away, or seven presidents, if you prefer to think about who may have to trade penny loafers for flippers and a snorkel at some key campaign stops in the United States.
As Americans slowly wake up to the fact climate change is wreaking havoc on our globe, other parts of the world have already taken note and are taking serious measures to mitigate the damage for its citizens.
In 2022, Indonesia’s Parliament voted to move its capital from Jakarta to the jungle of Kalimantan on Borneo island. The $32 billion project is one without its critics, but it is a necessary step to solve for the impact of climate change.
Jakarta is a megacity of 10 million people which suffers from congestion, floods, and air pollution plague its streets, while the sinking land poses a grave threat. It is estimated that one-third of the city could be submerged by 2050, leaving millions displaced and vulnerable.
But Indonesia isn’t alone.
As the earth continues to heat up at an unprecedented rate due to human-caused greenhouse gasses, scientists estimate by 2050, sea levels across the United States could have risen by an average of 10 to 12 inches. Causing parts of the country to be underwater…
