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U.S. flooding losses will spike 26 percent by 2050 due to climate change, researchers say

Researchers say the forecast assumes nations meet emissions reduction targets set at the COP26 climate summit

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Updated January 31, 2022 at 5:02 p.m. EST|Published January 31, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. EST
First responders use a high-water vehicle to rescue residents from floodwater left behind by Hurricane Ida in LaPlace, La., in August. Researchers estimate U.S. flooding losses will grow to $40.6 billion by 2050. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg News)

Climate change will cause the nation’s flooding losses to jump more than 26 percent over the next three decades, with disadvantaged communities shouldering an outsize share of the economic burden, a study published Monday predicted.

Researchers at the University of Bristol in Britain used data from flood insurance claims, building records, the census and other sources to forecast how a warming planet will affect flooding patterns across the United States, and pinpoint which communities might see the most change.