Rutgers scientists behind the report, released Thursday, said their work aims to help New Jersey communities prepare for changing coastal conditions and more precipitation.
Sea level has risen around New Jersey by about 1.5 feet between 1911 and 2019, while global sea level rose about half that, according to the report.
“Sea level is rising more in New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic than in other parts of the globe,” said Jeanne Herb, executive director of environmental analysis at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy at Rutgers. “New Jersey’s sort of ground zero.”