The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World

Jeff Goodell details the physical and economic consequences of accelerating sea-level rise caused by melting ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. He examines how encroaching tides threaten coastal infrastructure, from the naval base in Norfolk to the luxury real estate of Miami and the flood-prone streets of Venice. The book documents specific engineering challenges, such as the inadequacy of current seawall designs and the failure of regional pumps to manage king tides. Goodell argues that because water remains a relentless force, humanity faces a choice between managed retreat and catastrophic submergence.

This book serves urban planners, environmental scientists, and homeowners living in vulnerable coastal zones. Readers acquire a technical understanding of why global coastlines will be redrawn regardless of current carbon mitigation efforts. It provides a sobering look at the intersection of climate science and real estate finance, helping readers identify which cities possess the resources to adapt and which are likely to be abandoned. The text leaves the reader with a practical framework for assessing the long-term viability of human settlements at the water's edge.