CNN.com has an article today that talks about the cost of rising sea levels:

A possible rise in sea levels by 0.5 meters by 2050 could put at risk more than $28 trillion worth of assets in the world’s largest coastal cities, according to a report compiled for the insurance industry.

…

Global temperatures have already risen by at least 0.7 degrees Celsius and the report says a further rise by 2-3 degrees in the second half of the century is likely unless deep cuts in emissions are put in place before 2015.

The consequent melting of the Greenland and the West Antarctic Ice Shield could lead to one such tipping point scenario, possibly a sea level rise of up to 0.5 meters by 2050.

And even though that sounds bad, it doesn’t really hit home. Not the way actual photos of the aftermath would.

Studio Lindfors, a New York-based architectural firm, have the next best thing. They’ve released a set of speculative images to BLDGBLOG that illustrate what New York and Tokyo could look like after sea levels have risen.

Pretty beautiful.

But probably not scary enough. All I can think when I look at these images is that once global cooling sets in, the streets of New York will be ice rinks. Which, I guess, means that snowmobiles would be the new mopeds. Oh, and it also means that the subway system would be completely shutdown. And probably filled with alligators. Frozen alligators. Just…everywhere.

5th Avenue & 53rd Street, NYC:

Garment District, NYC:

Roppongi Minato-ku, Tokyo:

Times Square at Night, NYC:

W. 29th Street & Broadway, NYC:

Shibuya Station, Tokyo:

Related posts:
I have learned two things.