Millions in Kolkata, Mumbai risk losing homes to rising seas: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 1: Millions of people in Kolkata and Mumbai are at "immediate risk" of losing their homes due to rising sea levels and permanent inundation, a report by the United Nations said.
"Rising seas are no longer a distant threat: they are happening now, faster than at any point in recorded history, and the pace is accelerating, making sea level rise one of the most profound threats to populations around the world in developed and developing States alike," the report of the UN Secretary-General titled 'Challenges related to sea level rise and ways and approaches to address it' said.
The report, released Monday, said that sea level rise is already damaging urban infrastructure, water systems, transport networks, energy grids, buildings and groundwater resources, creating far-reaching consequences that threaten the effective enjoyment of human rights, long-term development and financial stability.
It noted that the nature of these risks varies across regions.
In high-income cities such as Miami and New York in the United States and Guangzhou in China, the primary impact is the staggering financial exposure of coastal infrastructure, with assets at risk estimated between USD 2 trillion and USD 3.5 trillion.
"In the low-lying deltas of South Asia, in cities such as Kolkata and Mumbai in India, and Dhaka, the defining impact is human displacement, with more than 14 million people at immediate risk of losing their homes to permanent inundation," the report said.�" NDTV