How are Low-Lying and Ice-Based Nations Being Impacted by Risng Sea Levels as a Result of Melting Ice?
Rising sea levels, as a result of melting ice, is a worldwide issue that has both small and large impacts on countries around the globe. A similarity between the affected nations is that they are all low-lying, coastal areas. The term "ice-based" can be defined as countries prominently made up of or covered in ice. A handful of countries affected by the melting of ice, both directly and indirectly, are Gambia (Banjul), the Maldives, Greenland, the Arctic and Kiribati. Each country is experiencing a range of intensities and effects of melting ice and rising sea levels. Weight-wise, approximately 97% of earth's life lives in the ocean and interestingly, 99% of all earth's living space is in the ocean. Rising sea-levels also cause coastal erosion. As many major cities are built on the coast, most with populations exceeding millions, this presents an immediate danger to these cities and threatens their thriving industries.
A controversial point is that lower-lying nations are the most threatened by climate change but it is in fact the more-developed, larger countries are the ones who are the main causers of climate change. It is as if the larger countries are creating work that the smaller countries have to clean up. This controversial point demonstrates how every single country in the world is interconnected and interdependent. No matter how much you try, it is impossible for your life not to affect other countries in some way or another whether large or small, proving to what extent every single country on earth is interconnected.
Gambia is regarded as one of the most rising-sea-level-threatened countries in Africa. 70% of its border is coastline, with the majority of its major cities sitting on that coastline. As sea levels rise by one metre, Gambia's megacity, Banjul, risks losing at least 60% of its mangrove forests as well as settlements and more than 30% of it's total natural areas. Rising sea-levels will also have a profound effect on eco-systems among the mangroves and on higher land. The low-lying coastal nation risks losing it's rice industry and consequent residents. Gambia's major economic contributer is their tourism industry. Since many of its touristic sites exist near to the coastline, they are threatened by the rising seas and consequently endanger Gambia's economy. As Gambia receives over 100 000 tourists each year, this significant drop in numbers would cause a downfall in their economy and a significant impact on the country's stability. Additionally, the rising seas have developed an inbalance in the soil salinity which consequently affects the amount of arable land. The water salinisation systems are also being compromised due to need for shifts in the city areas (i.e. moving further away from the coastlines in order to delay the process as well as developing water management systems to further delay the progress of the issue). This 42 000-person nation risks losing the entire city of Banjul within the next 50 years. These significant effects will prove a major destabilisation in both Gambia's human and natural environment, consequently threatening it's existence as a nation if no plans are taken into action.
The Maldives is another of the many countries affected by rising sea levels. Many houses in the Maldives have been built extremely close to the beach and consequently are already being destroyed by the ocean and its rising levels. Coastal erosion remains a significant problem in the lives of the Maldivians to this day. Rising sea levels also threatens their economy, with 28% of their GDP coming from tourism. As many of the beach-front resorts are the centre of this tourism industry, their destruction (due to the rising seas) is having implications on the future of the tourism industry and the Maldives' economy. This also proves that countries around the world are interdependent, and that nothing can really go by without affecting at least one other country. For example, larger countries who emit enormous amounts of CO2 each year are the main causers of climate change, melting ice and consequent rising seas. However, the countries being affected are mostly the smaller ones who emit very little CO2. Yet, these smaller countries still rely on the larger countries since they also provide a large amounts of the tourists who travel overseas, contributing to the tourism industry. The Maldives, being a low-lying nation, does not farm on land but rather relies on the sealife for the majority of its food sources. However, this coastal erosion due to rising sea levels has been damaging the surrounding food supplies and further affecting their economy. Protecing their houses from violent weather has also become a major part of their lives. The December 2004 tsunami inflicted $375 million damage and killed 82 people. This island of 200 people can barely afford to defend their houses and the overall island from the rising seas. Unfortunately, this island can only afford short term solutions such as building sand walls a few metres out to sea. But as this is only temporary, the island must make a decision on what to do, and fast. The highest point on the island is little more than two metres above sea level.
An interesting effect of climate change and melting ice are the two poles, with similar weather conditions, that are experiencing the exact opposite effects caused by climate change. Climate change is reported to be causing westerly winds that sweep across most of Antarctica from the Southern Ocean, "protecting" it from the effects of global warming. The only area of Antarctica that is severely effected is the Antarctic peninsula which is not shielded by the winds from the impacts of climate change. The Arctic, however, is doing exactly the opposite; it is melting at unprecedented rates. Consequently, it is contributing to rising sea levels and essentially affecting others countries. The Arctic and the Antarctic are home to a very unique ecosystem of plants, animals and humans (Arctic only). Within the next century, Arctic ice mass is expected to decline by 20% and temperature to increase by 7 degrees.
The 113 000-person nation of Kiribati is negotiating with Fiji to purchase land, specifically Vanua Levu, Fiji's second-largest island, and relocate there. The rising seas have already destroyed and continue to destroy many small villages on the coast. This is likely the first instance where climate change has triggered a whole country-migration. Not only is the nation's physical existence being threatened, but the existence of their culture is also threatened. It has been questioned whether their delicate culture will survive if they move. University professor James J. McCarthy said Kiribati is "like the canary in the coal mine in terms of the dramatic impact of climate change on a whole civilisation of people... they didn't cause the problem but are among the first to feel it." Fiji, however, has its doubts about allowing the country to relocate to Fijian soil. Kiribati's president, Anote Tong, stated that he does not want the entire population of Kiribati moving over the Fiji in one go. He also stated that Kiribatians must have something to offer Fiji by way of skills (e.g. doctors) and not just be second-class citizens. The nation is already facing many problems. Rising sea levels means rising tides. This means that the salinity of the sand is increasing and degrading their fresh water supplies. Rising salinity also affects the access to arable land and ability to grow crops. Their economy is at risk of depleting and it is also having harmful effects on public health.
The impacts of climate change and rising sea levels is spread across the whole globe. Low-lying nations, such as Kiribati, The Maldives and Gambia as well as prominently ice-based countries such as Greenland and the Arctic, are among the many countries experiencing the debilitating effects of melting ice. Rising seas, as a result of melting ice, proves that every country in the world in interdependent and interconnected. Although rather culturally different, many of the affected countries discussed are experiencing quite similar effects that threaten their culture and actual existence. Rising sea levels, as a result of melting ice caused by climate change, is an issue that impacts low-lying and ice-based nations around the world.
A controversial point is that lower-lying nations are the most threatened by climate change but it is in fact the more-developed, larger countries are the ones who are the main causers of climate change. It is as if the larger countries are creating work that the smaller countries have to clean up. This controversial point demonstrates how every single country in the world is interconnected and interdependent. No matter how much you try, it is impossible for your life not to affect other countries in some way or another whether large or small, proving to what extent every single country on earth is interconnected.
Gambia is regarded as one of the most rising-sea-level-threatened countries in Africa. 70% of its border is coastline, with the majority of its major cities sitting on that coastline. As sea levels rise by one metre, Gambia's megacity, Banjul, risks losing at least 60% of its mangrove forests as well as settlements and more than 30% of it's total natural areas. Rising sea-levels will also have a profound effect on eco-systems among the mangroves and on higher land. The low-lying coastal nation risks losing it's rice industry and consequent residents. Gambia's major economic contributer is their tourism industry. Since many of its touristic sites exist near to the coastline, they are threatened by the rising seas and consequently endanger Gambia's economy. As Gambia receives over 100 000 tourists each year, this significant drop in numbers would cause a downfall in their economy and a significant impact on the country's stability. Additionally, the rising seas have developed an inbalance in the soil salinity which consequently affects the amount of arable land. The water salinisation systems are also being compromised due to need for shifts in the city areas (i.e. moving further away from the coastlines in order to delay the process as well as developing water management systems to further delay the progress of the issue). This 42 000-person nation risks losing the entire city of Banjul within the next 50 years. These significant effects will prove a major destabilisation in both Gambia's human and natural environment, consequently threatening it's existence as a nation if no plans are taken into action.
The Maldives is another of the many countries affected by rising sea levels. Many houses in the Maldives have been built extremely close to the beach and consequently are already being destroyed by the ocean and its rising levels. Coastal erosion remains a significant problem in the lives of the Maldivians to this day. Rising sea levels also threatens their economy, with 28% of their GDP coming from tourism. As many of the beach-front resorts are the centre of this tourism industry, their destruction (due to the rising seas) is having implications on the future of the tourism industry and the Maldives' economy. This also proves that countries around the world are interdependent, and that nothing can really go by without affecting at least one other country. For example, larger countries who emit enormous amounts of CO2 each year are the main causers of climate change, melting ice and consequent rising seas. However, the countries being affected are mostly the smaller ones who emit very little CO2. Yet, these smaller countries still rely on the larger countries since they also provide a large amounts of the tourists who travel overseas, contributing to the tourism industry. The Maldives, being a low-lying nation, does not farm on land but rather relies on the sealife for the majority of its food sources. However, this coastal erosion due to rising sea levels has been damaging the surrounding food supplies and further affecting their economy. Protecing their houses from violent weather has also become a major part of their lives. The December 2004 tsunami inflicted $375 million damage and killed 82 people. This island of 200 people can barely afford to defend their houses and the overall island from the rising seas. Unfortunately, this island can only afford short term solutions such as building sand walls a few metres out to sea. But as this is only temporary, the island must make a decision on what to do, and fast. The highest point on the island is little more than two metres above sea level.
An interesting effect of climate change and melting ice are the two poles, with similar weather conditions, that are experiencing the exact opposite effects caused by climate change. Climate change is reported to be causing westerly winds that sweep across most of Antarctica from the Southern Ocean, "protecting" it from the effects of global warming. The only area of Antarctica that is severely effected is the Antarctic peninsula which is not shielded by the winds from the impacts of climate change. The Arctic, however, is doing exactly the opposite; it is melting at unprecedented rates. Consequently, it is contributing to rising sea levels and essentially affecting others countries. The Arctic and the Antarctic are home to a very unique ecosystem of plants, animals and humans (Arctic only). Within the next century, Arctic ice mass is expected to decline by 20% and temperature to increase by 7 degrees.
The 113 000-person nation of Kiribati is negotiating with Fiji to purchase land, specifically Vanua Levu, Fiji's second-largest island, and relocate there. The rising seas have already destroyed and continue to destroy many small villages on the coast. This is likely the first instance where climate change has triggered a whole country-migration. Not only is the nation's physical existence being threatened, but the existence of their culture is also threatened. It has been questioned whether their delicate culture will survive if they move. University professor James J. McCarthy said Kiribati is "like the canary in the coal mine in terms of the dramatic impact of climate change on a whole civilisation of people... they didn't cause the problem but are among the first to feel it." Fiji, however, has its doubts about allowing the country to relocate to Fijian soil. Kiribati's president, Anote Tong, stated that he does not want the entire population of Kiribati moving over the Fiji in one go. He also stated that Kiribatians must have something to offer Fiji by way of skills (e.g. doctors) and not just be second-class citizens. The nation is already facing many problems. Rising sea levels means rising tides. This means that the salinity of the sand is increasing and degrading their fresh water supplies. Rising salinity also affects the access to arable land and ability to grow crops. Their economy is at risk of depleting and it is also having harmful effects on public health.
The impacts of climate change and rising sea levels is spread across the whole globe. Low-lying nations, such as Kiribati, The Maldives and Gambia as well as prominently ice-based countries such as Greenland and the Arctic, are among the many countries experiencing the debilitating effects of melting ice. Rising seas, as a result of melting ice, proves that every country in the world in interdependent and interconnected. Although rather culturally different, many of the affected countries discussed are experiencing quite similar effects that threaten their culture and actual existence. Rising sea levels, as a result of melting ice caused by climate change, is an issue that impacts low-lying and ice-based nations around the world.