FLOODS When water evaporates from the land and sea, it eventually returns to Earth as rain and snow. Climate change intensifies this cycle because as air temperatures increase, more water evaporates into the air. Because warmer air holds more water vapor, this is contributing to an increase in the average annual amount of rain and snow in some places and creating more intense rainstorms in others. The result is major problems like extreme flooding in communities around the world. Additionally, at the same time, sea levels are rising faster than at any time in almost 3,000 years, and it’s worsening coastal flooding globally. The United Nations Environmental Programme estimates that half of the world’s population lives within 60 kilometers (about 37 miles) of a coast – and three-quarters of all major cities are on a shoreline. 7