Due to sea levels rising over the past decades regarding climate change, many coastal cities worldwide are sinking at rapid rates.
Take Jakarta for example,
It is one of the fastest sinking major cities in the world and holds a population of over 10 million, this serves as a great risk to many.
Over five years, researchers from the University of Rhode Island have studied this change in land and sea levels across 99 cities worldwide.
They have found that the largest subsidence rates are mostly found in Asian cities such as Karachi in Pakistan and Manila in the Philippines.
By 2060 it is said that sea levels would rise by more than 2 feet over normal high tide now.
Cities like Amsterdam, Venice and New Orleans might possibly even find themselves underwater by this time!
YET….
It’s not too late to turn the tide against rising sea levels
Greenhouse gases trap more energy from the sun, as a result, glaciers start to melt faster, factoring a major change in sea levels.
We can slow down this melting rate by reducing our carbon footprint.
- Plastic is known for releasing toxic gases which are harmful for the atmosphere. Therefore, by using reusable containers, bags and other packaging, we can reduce plastic utilization.
- Try to carpool, cycle, walk or use public transport to reduce vehicular usage. Therefore, harmful emissions which are released by various types of transport will reduce.
- Water takes up a lot of energy to be properly supplied to people. Therefore, by reducing your water usage, you help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and usage of energy. This can be done by using less water for daily chores and ensuring no unnecessary wastage of water.