Currently, global sea levels are continuously rising, and if greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced, sea levels may soar by 1 meter or even higher by 2100. This harsh reality is threatening nearly 1 billion residents in low-lying coastal areas. Take Lagos, Nigeria as an example. In July this year, rainstorm, high tide level and intensified coastal erosion "joined hands" to wreak havoc, resulting in about 2000 houses being swallowed up by floods and residents being displaced. The current situation is shocking. Faced with this challenge, Nature magazine believes that urban planning and intelligent technology will become key strategies for climate adaptation and mitigation in coastal areas. In this context, the concept of "future maritime habitation" (a futuristic settlement design aimed at enhancing flood resistance) is increasingly being sought after. From the perspective of design types, there are currently three main ways for developers to transform marine and nearshore areas into livable spaces, namely artificial land creation, floating cities, and amphibious housing. Artificial land projects such as Qatar's Pearl Island are scattered along the coastline of Doha. Amphibious houses can be seen everywhere in the Netherlands. Artificial land reclamation involves dumping large amounts of sand, clay, cement, or rock into the ocean to form new land suitable for construction. About 50 countries around the world have carried out such artificial land reclamation. Pearl Island in Doha, Okson City in Niom, Saudi Arabia, and Eko Atlantic City in Nigeria are all examples of such 'future maritime settlements'. These projects feature iconic architectural designs aimed at attracting multinational investment. However, critics point out that these projects may have adverse effects on the environment and surrounding communities. For example, artificial land reclamation may trigger and exacerbate ocean acidification, biodiversity loss, and coral reef destruction. Underwater dredging can damage the marine environment and pollute water bodies, potentially releasing toxic compounds that have been buried for a long time. Artificial land reclamation may consume natural buffer zones such as mangroves and wetlands, which could have formed natural carbon sinks and been able to withstand storm surges, waves, and floods. Although seawalls or revetments can alleviate some risks, they may not be able to prevent erosion or ground subsidence. In addition, some projects may accelerate greenhouse gas emissions. For example, Eco Atlantic City is built on millions of cubic meters of dredged sand, and thousands of tons of stones are transported to the project site, which also releases carbon. Floating cities are waterproof prefabricated structures that are permanently placed on the ocean or lagoon through interconnected modular systems and artificial reefs. The United Nations is urging governments, public and private sectors to collaborate in promoting the construction of such cities in high-risk areas. For example, the floating city design in Maldives can accommodate 20000 residents, with each unit priced at approximately $250000. The price of Panama's floating cabins (each cabin can accommodate two people) ranges from $295000 to $1.5 million. However, the long-term sustainability and ability to withstand large storms of floating cities are still unclear. The initial investment for floating cities is relatively low. Taking the floating city in Maldives as an example, its estimated cost is 1 billion US dollars, but its maintenance cost may be relatively high, and the building materials are susceptible to corrosion and damage from tides and waves. Floating cities require additional energy to maintain infrastructure such as seawater desalination and waste disposal. These facilities may malfunction, and insurance and maintenance costs will impose an economic burden on residents and the government. To address these potential issues, the government must update local climate adaptation plans while also investing in social services and critical infrastructure. Amphibious housing is fixed on the ground and supported by the buoyancy of water, suitable for construction on coastlines, rivers, flood prone areas, urban ports, or other areas where water levels rise and fall slowly and unpredictably. Europe has numerous amphibious housing options, and the IJburg community in Amsterdam is a typical example. The community is built on an artificial island and houses approximately 45000 people. However, expanding the scale of such projects may indirectly encourage people to move to high-risk flood areas. This type of 'future sea dwelling' project is relatively cheap. They are close to land, making it easy to access electricity, fresh water, and waste treatment facilities, thereby reducing maintenance costs. Amphibious housing and floating cities both have an impact on the ecological environment. For example, they may alter the local wind direction, evaporation, sunlight, and heat patterns. Noise and pollution may endanger the lives of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and plants. The concept of people living on water is not new, as the indigenous Uru people have long lived on artificial islands made of tree roots and reeds on Lake Titicaca in Peru. From Vietnam to Cambodia, to Benin and Nigeria, stilt houses and water villages can be seen everywhere. In cities such as Amsterdam, Jakarta, Mexico City, and Seattle, boathouses and floating markets have long been a part of life. Unlike the infrastructure of traditional cities, 'Future Marine Living' aims to create high-tech cities equipped with solar panels, deep-sea cooling systems, medical centers, schools, leisure areas, and commercial facilities. Supporters believe that "future maritime habitation" aims to expand housing supply, reduce land pressure, improve energy efficiency, promote environmentally friendly transportation, and mitigate the impact of floods. Critics argue that these projects are using technology as a pretext to increase the real estate value around coastal areas, lakes, and rivers. According to a report in the journal Nature, whether "future maritime habitation" can help coastal areas resist the risks of climate change still needs to be comprehensively considered in terms of practicality, ecosystem impact, fairness and justice, and regulatory framework. (New Society)