Between 2011 and 2018, global sea levels rose by approximately 0.20m. The rate of sea level rise accelerated to 3.7mm per year between 1901 and 2018, marking an approximate 2.85-fold increase. The IPCC projects that if climate change is not addressed, global sea levels will rise by around 0.6 to 1m or more between 2019 and 2100. This rise significantly heightens the risk of flooding in low-lying coastal areas and increases the likelihood of freshwater resources becoming saline due to seawater intrusion. The climate crisis and subsequent sea level rise are leading to increasingly frequent and severe natural disasters. As the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events worsen, coastal regions face greater exposure to hurricanes and storm surges.

Additionally, climate models predict that hurricanes will become stronger and move faster, further amplifying the impacts of storm surges. Particularly in coastal areas, the risk of residential flooding from sea level rise endangers residents’ lives. For small island developing nations, the threat of national submersion poses a direct risk to national security. Many citizens in these countries could become climate refugees, facing an existential crisis that may require cooperation from neighboring nations for survival. Therefore, climate change must be addressed not only as an ecological issue but also as a global crisis with severe economic and social implications, underscoring the urgent need for international cooperation and concrete action.