Coastal erosion is more severe under climate change

More storms and higher seas from climate change create more winds, waves, and floods, leading to coastal erosion. Hurricanes can wash away sandy barrier islands, leaving coastlines and islands unprotected from future storm surges. Waves and winds can carry away beach sand little by little, shrinking scenic beaches and exposing human infrastructure to tides and storms. Beaches in South Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, and Texas have lost more than two meters of shoreline a year over the last century, with costal erosion estimates for much of the country expected to increase in coming decades (LINK). Learn more about USGS work on coastal erosion.