According to a climate scenario realized in 2021, around 30 nuclear sites worldwide would be exposed to a sea level rise between 50 and 88 centimeters, if the climate policies tackling global warming are not followed. The nuclear sites at risk of the highest sea level rise are located in the United States (U.S.) and they represent almost 38 percent of the total ranked nuclear sites. Over 40 percent of the endangered nuclear sites are located in Japan, at a total of 12 nuclear plants. This figure indicates that more than one in three nuclear power reactors present in this country would be at risk.
Many of the listed nuclear sites (shown in red) will be at risk of high winds as well, creating the conditions for extreme precipitation events concurrent to floods.
Nuclear sites worldwide exposed to projected sea level rise risk as of 2021, by name and location
(in meters of water level rise)
Characteristic
Meters of sea level rise compared to current levels
based on the SSP3 scenario from near to long term*; red bars indicate that nuclear sites are exposed to high winds risk as well, beside sea level rise risk.
Supplementary notes
* SSP3 is the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway number three (of five), a socioeconomic future scenario in which the climate policies (for instance the Paris Agreement) to keep the global temperature increase well below 2°C are not fulfilled, leading to global warming of 4°C and regional level conflicts. The IPCC Representative Concentration Pathways combines SSPs and climate change studies to assess the dependence of the future climate on current policies.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
IAEA. (September 29, 2022). Nuclear sites worldwide exposed to projected sea level rise risk as of 2021, by name and location (in meters of water level rise) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 08, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339324/global-nuclear-sites-under-projected-sea-level-rise-risk/
IAEA. "Nuclear sites worldwide exposed to projected sea level rise risk as of 2021, by name and location (in meters of water level rise)." Chart. September 29, 2022. Statista. Accessed January 08, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339324/global-nuclear-sites-under-projected-sea-level-rise-risk/
IAEA. (2022). Nuclear sites worldwide exposed to projected sea level rise risk as of 2021, by name and location (in meters of water level rise). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 08, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339324/global-nuclear-sites-under-projected-sea-level-rise-risk/
IAEA. "Nuclear Sites Worldwide Exposed to Projected Sea Level Rise Risk as of 2021, by Name and Location (in Meters of Water Level Rise)." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Sep 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339324/global-nuclear-sites-under-projected-sea-level-rise-risk/
IAEA, Nuclear sites worldwide exposed to projected sea level rise risk as of 2021, by name and location (in meters of water level rise) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339324/global-nuclear-sites-under-projected-sea-level-rise-risk/ (last visited January 08, 2025)
Nuclear sites worldwide exposed to projected sea level rise risk as of 2021, by name and location (in meters of water level rise) [Graph], IAEA, September 29, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339324/global-nuclear-sites-under-projected-sea-level-rise-risk/
