MIAMI

MIAMI HAS BEEN CALLED GROUND

zero for sea-level rise. South Florida is expected to be hit hard in the coming decades. Flooding in the city has increased in frequency in recent years, and the projections for sea-level rise suggest that many beaches and neighborhoods will eventually be fully submerged.

Barricading itself against the rising seas is not an option for Miami. Not only would a big wall disrupt tourism, it would also be ineffective. The city is built on limestone, which is porous—sea water can simply rise up through the ground.

In recent years, Miami has begun to take steps to prepare for its watery future. It raised a stretch of seawall breached in a storm a few years ago. It is also raising roads and bridges and investing in pump stations in neighborhoods that are prone to flooding. It is also designing a new storm-water drainage system to cope with hurricanes. It has imposed height requirements for new buildings.

Although these measures may help in the short term, coping will be a challenge in the coming decades.

“We see people from all continents, all income levels, asking the same question: how to manage increased flooding over the next

10 or 20 years.”