Synopsis

According to new data from WRI's Aqueduct Floods Tool, by 2030 the number of people impacted by floods will double worldwide — from 65 million to 132 million due to riverine flooding and from 7 million to 15 million due to coastal flooding. The amount of urban property damaged by riverine floods will increase threefold — from $157 billion to $535 billion, while it will increase tenfold due to coastal storm surge and sea level rise — from $17 billion to $177 billion.

By 2050, the numbers will be catastrophic: 191 million and 30 million people will be at risk of riverine and coastal flooding, respectively, each year.

Aqueduct Floods finds that every $1 spent on flood protection infrastructure in India could result in $248 in avoided damages (when moving from 11-year flood protection in 2010 to 25-year flood protection in 2050) and would reduce the likelihood of these areas being flooded by half.

Key Findings

  • According to new data from WRI's Aqueduct Floods Tool, by 2030 the number of people impacted by floods will double worldwide — from 65 million to 132 million due to riverine flooding and from 7 million to 15 million due to coastal flooding. The amount of urban property damaged by riverine floods will increase threefold — from $157 billion to $535 billion, while it will increase tenfold due to coastal storm surge and sea level rise — from $17 billion to $177 billion.
  • By 2050, the numbers will be catastrophic: 191 million and 30 million people will be at risk of riverine and coastal flooding, respectively, each year.
  • Aqueduct Floods finds that every $1 spent on flood protection infrastructure in India could result in $248 in avoided damages (when moving from 11-year flood protection in 2010 to 25-year flood protection in 2050) and would reduce the likelihood of these areas being flooded by half.

Executive Summary

Full executive summary available in the paper.