Washington Monument

A paper published in Science last week found that even if we keep global temperature change below the two-degree Celsius target, sea levels could still rise by at least 20 feet. If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. And these before and after images of American landmarks plus 25 feet of water, created by visual artist Nickolay Lamm with data developed by Climate Central, say it all.

Back Bay Boston

Harvard

San Francisco's Crissy Field

onEarth provides reporting and analysis about environmental science, policy, and culture. All opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or positions of NRDC. Learn more or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.