As if COVID-19 had not affected states’ and municipalities’ finances adversely enough, numerous states and municipalities and investors in their bonds, also need to worry about the economic impact of rising sea levels. According to a Moody’s MCO -0.7% Investors Services report released yesterday afternoon, “More frequent and severe flooding from high tides and storm surges from major weather events threaten coastal economies, property values and critical infrastructure.” According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in the last two decades, the Atlantic and Gulf coasts experiences anywhere from 100-150% increase in annual days of high-tide flooding.

Four Twenty Seven, a Moody’s affiliate that provides data and market intelligence related to physical climate and environmental, risks estimates that by 2040, increased sea level rise will significantly affect every coastal state, the […]