Businesses in city 'must plan ahead' to limit damage from rising sea levels, experts say

How badly affected would Hong Kong be if sea levels rise as predicted? The city's rugged coastline and high sea walls offer some protection but government and businesses cannot be complacent from the threat of stronger typhoons and accompanying storm surges, say experts.

"The government has to have policies at all levels. When we think about the substantial cost associated with sea flooding versus taking early action to avoid damage, it is better to plan ahead," said Kalmond Ma, the head of climate programme at the World Wildlife Fund.

The most deadly surges would come from a southerly direction and combine typhoon-strength winds, spring tides and a low pressure system to devastating effect, said Mok Hing-yim, a senior scientific officer at the Hong Kong Observatory, the government agency in charge of monitoring storms.

Ma said elevated sea levels around Hong Kong would put at risk residential and commercial buildings in unprotected districts. They would also affect wildlife sanctuaries such as the Mai Po marshes near the border.

Buildings less than 10 metres above sea level were potentially in trouble, said Caspar Honegger, the head of flood perils at Swiss Re. For those 20 metres and above, surges were not a problem, he added.

Sea levels in Victoria Harbour had risen on average 29mm per decade since 1954, when records began, Mok said.

Referencing data from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Observatory estimates sea levels will rise between 17 and 38cm by 2065, and between 26 and 82cm by 2100.