Climate Warming Will Change Our Coastlines
B. McPherson
There continues to be a small minority of people who refuse
to recognize the changes in our world’s climate. The change is not consistent
world wide, but the trend is towards a warmer world. Because much of our planet
is covered by oceans, the ability to plan for a warmer world is extremely
important.
As long as humans have been trading, the importance of sea
ports has grown. With the predictions of sea level change by the end of this
century reaching at least 8 inches(0.2m) and possibly as much as 6.6ft.(2m)
coastal cities need to start preparations now for the changes that are coming.
Some have in Europe with London and Venice installing barriers to protect
against storm surges.
According to NOAA’s predictions some US areas will be
affected more than others by rising sea levels. Alaska and the US Pacific
Northwest are still rebounding from the last ice-age, so the land is rising.
Other areas of the US are not so lucky. Chesapeake Bay area is subsiding as is
the Gulf Coast. They will be affected to a greater degree.
A years long report on the effects of climate warming on the
USA was released last week by their National Climate Assessment Committee. It
has dire warnings for Gulf cities such as Mobile Alabama. Yet, some of the
state’s legislators are still refusing to recognize that change is already here
and to take steps to help mitigate damage to their important port.
Alabama was among 12 states that had done nothing to address climate change, according to an April 2012 report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, a New York-based nonprofit that supports environmental conservation.Bloomberg
Alabama’s
official climatologist John Christy, has told legislators that the situation is
not worrisome. People on the sandy, barrier islands around Mobile Bay are
reporting more ocean flooding and greater storm surges than ever before
experienced. One weather event is not indicative of climate change, but a series
of them is establishing a pattern.
For those
people outside the USA and Puerto Rico, all it takes is a map and a little
common sense to see what would happen to the coast lines if the seas climb a
minimum of 0.2m. There is an interactive map available at Global Flood Map
where you can enter your own town and choose different levels of ocean rise to
see the predictions. Salt intrusion will kill land plants and make coastal
wells brackish, flooding at periodic high tides will occur more frequently,
storm surges will inundate greater areas and with more force, higher ocean
levels will cause coastal erosion.
It is predicted
that with only a 6 inch increase, over 41 million people will be displaced and
will be looking for new homes.
Sources
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