Rising sea levels threaten the future of nearly 1 billion people

Rising sea levels are creating a “tide of misery” that threatens the future of nearly 1 billion people living in low-lying coastal areas who are increasingly vulnerable to storms, coastal erosion and flooding, the head of the United Nations (UN) has warned.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, global average sea level has risen faster than in any previous century in at least the past 3,000 years.

NASA says that as global temperatures have increased by about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), sea levels have risen by 160-210 millimeters (6-8 inches), with about half of that occurring since 1993.

Flooding in Gulf Shores, Alabama, US, after Hurricane Sally in September 2020. Photo: Getty Images

"Rising sea levels mean a rising tide of suffering," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, speaking at a summit where rising sea levels topped the international agenda at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) earlier this week.

Mr Guterres warned of “flooded communities, contaminated freshwater, destroyed crops, damaged infrastructure, destroyed biodiversity and devastated economies – with sectors such as fisheries, agriculture and tourism battered”.

Global average sea levels hit a record high last year, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The UN reports that the rate of rise over the past decade was more than double the rate of sea level rise in the first decade of satellite records, from 1993 to 2002.

"The main cause of rising sea levels is human-caused climate change. Melting ice on land and the expansion of sea water as it warms are the main drivers of rising sea levels around the world," Ryan Hobert, Vice President for Climate and Environment at the United Nations Foundation, told Al Jazeera on September 28.

"In fact, the ocean is one of our greatest allies in the fight against climate change. It absorbs excess heat released into the atmosphere. But the problem is that as water heats up, it expands. Scientists say this is responsible for nearly half of the sea level rise we're seeing," said Hobert.

Last month, Mr Guterres warned that “the oceans are overflowing” and it was “an entirely man-made crisis”.

One in 10 people on Earth live near the sea, the UN says. It also points out that people living near the coast in countries including Bangladesh, China, India, the Netherlands and Pakistan “are at risk and are likely to experience catastrophic flooding”.

Cities such as Bangkok (Thailand), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Lagos (Nigeria), London (UK), Mumbai (India), New York (USA) and Shanghai (China) are also at risk.

Pacific islands are facing increasing threats to their economic viability and development. Arguably the most serious threats are faced by low-lying small islands. Rising sea levels and other climate impacts have already forced people to relocate in Pacific countries such as Fiji, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

According to a study cited by the IPCC, the Maldives, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati could become uninhabitable by 2100, creating 600,000 stateless climate refugees.

“The first and most important way to stop sea level rise is to limit global greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hobert.

“For small island developing states (SIDS) – particularly low-lying Pacific islands like the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu – there is no more pressing issue. Rising sea levels threaten not only to destroy their livelihoods and cultures, but also to put them on the map.”

“We will need to invest in our ability to respond, recover and adapt to climate change,” said the UN Foundation expert.

Minh Duc (According to Al Jazeera)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/nuoc-bien-dang-cao-de-doa-tuong-lai-cua-gan-1-ty-nguoi-204240929145010985.htm