The last time the world was this warm was 3 million years ago.
Two
remote glaciers in Antarctica look like they might disintegrate in the
decades ahead, leading to a “catastrophe” of sea level rise, according
to a recent report in Grist.
Ultimately,
their demise could lift sea levels by up to 11 feet, and countless more
feet of sea level rise are locked up within other glaciers around the
world that are also at risk of failure, writer Eric Holthaus said.
The last time the world was this warm was 3 million years ago, when sea levels were dozens of feet higher, he writes.
What would happen to humanity if such an event unfolded? Here are six potential consequences of catastrophic sea level rise.
1/ Global Refugee Crisis
The
world is currently facing the largest refugee crisis in recorded
history. If sea levels rose by more than 11 feet, submerging some of the
world’s megacities like New York, Shanghai, and Mumbai, the amount of
refugees worldwide could increase 20-fold or more.
2/ More Powerful Hurricanes
The US was slammed by three hurricanes this year — Harvey, Irma, and Maria — causing hundreds of billions of dollars in damage and imperiling the lives of thousands.
If
sea levels rose by 11 feet, a Hurricane Sandy-level storm would strike
New York— a state not known for enduring hurricanes— twice a month,
Holthaus writes.
3/ Destroyed Economies
The economic impact of this sea level rise could run into the trillions.
Coastal hubs of economic activity would be destroyed, infrastructural
damage and health care costs would be unprecedented, and the relief
efforts would be seemingly permanent.
4/ Food and Water Crises
As
sea levels submerge coastal cities, precious water sources could become
contaminated with saltwater and other contaminants let loose by
destroyed infrastructure, similar to what happened in Fukushima, Japan, when a nuclear reactor was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami. Agricultural operations along coastlines would also be greatly harmed or ruined, as is happening in coastal Bangladesh through saltwater intrusion.
5/ Health Crisis
As
coastal communities are displaced by rising sea levels, water and
sanitation-related illnesses like cholera and diarrhea could increase, according to the World Health Organization.
The elevated temperatures could also spread mosquito-borne illnesses to
new climates and the release of contaminants from destroyed
infrastructure like oil rigs and chemical dump sites could make people
sick.
Further, health care systems could be part of the infrastructure that’s significantly damaged from flooding.
6/ Conflicts
With every half degree increase in global temperatures, the likelihood of conflict increases by 10% to 20%, according to researchers.
The enormous strain put on societies throughout the world as hundreds
of millions or billions of climate refugees are created could inflame
regional tensions, triggering conflicts.
Global
Citizen campaigns on the Global Goals, which calls for countries to
confront climate change. You can take action on this issue here.
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