Will Miami Go Underwater? Scientists Warn of a 2060 Deadline

Researchers are sounding the alarm: Miami could be 60% underwater by 2060. The accelerating force behind the crisis is climate change—driven by rising greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.

Scientists at the University of Miami say the city has approximately 30 years before sea levels overwhelm major sections of South Florida. Their projections match the Unified Sea Level Rise Projection for Southeast Florida, which estimates sea levels will rise 10–17 inches by 2040 compared to 2000.

The impact is so pronounced that major insurance companies, including Farmers Insurance, have already begun withdrawing from covering Florida properties.

But Miami-Dade leaders are not standing still. The county is rolling out Adaptation Action Areas (AAAs)—zones that receive targeted infrastructure upgrades to combat future flooding. The first AAA in Little River has already received $40 million in improvements to sewage systems, stormwater management, and water quality.

Encouraged by its success, officials are now planning a second AAA in the Biscayne Canal Basin, an area facing severe infrastructure challenges.

Miami’s broader resilience strategy includes elevating roads, installing pump stations, adding temporary flood barriers, and constructing new infrastructure at higher elevations.

The threat is enormous—but so is the regional push to prepare.