Sea Level Rise Threatens Colombian Coastal City of Cartagena

Accord to climate change researchers, the coastal city of Cartagena de Indias could be submerged by the Caribbean Sea by the end of the century. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, Colombia’s most touristic city is extremely vulnerable to sea level rise, as are its surrounding islands. Indeed, in February 2024, a sudden flood inundated the Tierra Bomba Island, destroying an ancient cemetery.

Scientists predict that the sea level could rise by 76cm by 2100, endangering not only Cartagena’s old colonial town but also its port, one of Colombia’s largest.

Global warming and rising sea levels

Climate change and global warming pose significant challenges for the Colombian Caribbean coastline. Indeed, the melting of Arctic icebergs and ice contributes to rising sea levels, endangering coastal cities and ecosystems. According to the Nature Climate Change magazine, this phenomenon will affect several Latin American and Colombian cities, including the Caribbean city of Barranquilla and the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo.

Cartagena de Indias’ challenging future

Cartagena de Indias faces even greater vulnerability due to its direct exposure to the sea, with 80 percent of the city at risk of future flooding. In the past decade, rising sea levels have already forced hundreds of people in nearby villages and islands to relocate.

The issue is being take seriously by the city’s authorities, who have initiated measures to mitigate the effects of sea level rise on the city’s coastline. This ‘Coastal Protection Project in Cartagena’ involves the construction of ten groynes perpendicular to diminish the impact of waves on the shore.

Additionally, a breakwater and a drainage system have been developed in the Bocagrande sector. Known for its skyscrapers, reminiscent of Miami, the Bocagrande coastline has significantly expanded over the centuries and is now one of Cartagena’s most vulnerable areas to a rise in the sea level.