Essay on Climate Change and The Rise in Sea Level

On a recent afternoon, Scott McKenzie watched torrential rains and a murky tide swallow the street outside his dog-grooming salon. Within minutes, much of this stretch of chic South Beach was flooded ankle-deep in a fetid mix of rain and sea. â€Å"Welcome to the new Venice,† McKenzie joked as salt water surged from the sewers. ----- Michael J. Mishak, Associated Press June 7, 2014 at 4:24 PM EDT According to the World Bank Development Report 2013 there has been an increase in global surface temperature of 0.4 to 0.9 Celsius (C) in the past 100 years. This change in temperature largely caused, according to the IPCC, by the release of GHGs through human activities. There are several effects associated to the change in global†¦show more content†¦Recent studies (such as Wigley and Raper, 1987) have shown that 2 to 5 centimeters in sea level rise, in the period of 1880-1985, can be explained by thermal expansion (Warrick, 1990). Moreover, studies (such as Meier, 1984) have found evidence that 2-6 centimeters of sea level rise can be explained by the melting of glaciers (Warrick, 1990). According to the International Programme for Climate Change’s estimates sea level will rise between â€Å"0.3 and 1.0 meter by 2100, with a best-guess estimate of 0.5 meter† (World Resources, 1998-99). A rise in sea level will most likely affect coastal, deltaic, and l ow-lying populations and ecosystems. Still, more of global coastal areas are being developed for the demand of growing populations. According to World Resources (1998-99), â€Å"sixteen of the world’s largest cities with populations of more than 10 million are located in coastal zones.† Coastal areas in particular will be affected severely in terms of beach and coastal erosion, permanent inundation, temporary flooding, and increased water salinity – among other things - are possible environmental consequences of sea level rise. For the United Kingdom â€Å"a 1 meter/yr cliff retreat rate would increase by 0.35Show MoreRelatedEssay on The Effects of Sea Level Rise Caused by Climate Change932 Words   |  4 PagesThat Sinking Feeling Climate change. Global warming. We’ve heard these terms thrown around so often in the media that they’ve almost lost all meaning. We’ve heard academics throw predictions of polar ice caps melting and nations disappearing into the ocean, much to the denial and distaste of the sceptics. But, really, we haven’t been affected so far. And by scientific predictions, any changes to the earth will be well into the distant future. So why should we worry? Why should we care? 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