Tides of Change: The Rising Sea Levels
Rising sea levels, a direct result of thermal expansion and melting glaciers caused by global warming, pose an increasing threat to the coastal regions of the world. Sea level has risen between 6-8 inches since the 1880s with half of that increase recorded since the early 1990s. At the present rate of emissions and the expected increases in global temperatures, the average sea level can rise an additional 20 to 80 inches (.5 to 2 meters) by the end of the 21st Century and continue thereafter. For the United States, 3 feet (a little less than 1 meter) of sea level rise can impact 4.2 million people. A rise of six feet will impact 13 million people.
In this post, we look at the pressing challenges sea level rise presents and the urgent need for collective action to protect billions who will be impacted by rising oceans around the world.
Direct Impact: Rising sea levels will erode coastal cliffs and beaches, threatening homes, and infrastructure, leaving families displaced and communities fractured. But the impact can go farther than the shorelines. One-third of the world's population lives within 60 miles (100 kilometers) of oceans. Under any temperature rise scenario, countries from Bangladesh to China, India, and the Netherlands, with large coastal populations, will be at risk. Megacities on every continent will face serious impacts, including Lagos, Bangkok, Mumbai, Shanghai, London, Buenos Aires, and New York. The poorer countries of the world will have greater difficulty coping with the consequences of sea level rise.
Storm Surges: As the sea level inches higher, storm surges can infiltrate farther inland, flooding homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure. The consequences of storm surges go beyond the immediate devastation, as communities grapple with prolonged recovery periods and the psychological toll of witnessing their homes ravaged by relentless waters. Saltwater intrusion infiltrates coastal aquifers, contaminating drinking water supplies. Saltwater contamination will force people from their homes, particularly where underground water is the primary source of fresh water, creating internal or international refugee crises.
Economic Disruption: With most future economic growth centered around coastal cities, sea level rise can cost the world economy between $14 to $27 trillion annually in damages by 2100. These could include ports, roads, power plants, and water treatment plants. Coping with such large-scale economic damage will be particularly difficult for the poorer countries of the world, exacerbating the coming refugee crisis. According to the World Bank by 2050 more than 200 million people will be internally displaced due to climate change in six different poorer regions worldwide.
The rising sea level is yet another reason to take the existential threat of global warming seriously. Urgent action on a global scale is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the rising tides. We deserve protection, support, and a pathway to resilience and climate restoration in the face of these ever-changing landscapes. By joining hands and investing in sustainable solutions, we can safeguard the lives, cultures, and habitats that make our blue and green planet the only life-sustaining planet in the solar system.
