Question+4

=How sea level rising affects people?= Switzerland and Italy - Reconsidering their borders - The alps are melting - Italy is a peninsula (high risk) - Climate change responsible for alpine melting Greenland - Many glaciers never thought to melt have started to - Satellites show that cracks are growing in many glaciers - One crack was approximately 11 miles long

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The size of the biggest surge during the 2004 tsunami that pulverized villages along the Indian Ocean and killed 230,000 people says E. Lynn Usery who is part of the US Geological Survey's Center of Excellence. The more people live at or beneth the sea level are at risk for survival. The U.S. Geological Survey team found that a 100-foot (30-meter) rise in sea level would cover 3.7 million square miles of land worldwide. ======


  __ Egypt __   ·  Some of Egypt’s ancient cities are slowly sinking  ·  The water crumbles the harbor walls away  ·  <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">Salty water is finding its way in to the Nile River <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">The Delta at the base of the Nile River is eroding <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> __ Venice ____, Italy __ <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">Boats can’t navigate during high tide because they can’t go under bridges <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">Visitors must walk on elevated walkways, or pascrell <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">The salt water destroys house foundations (bricks) and creeps in to interior-expensive to repair <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">A sea wall, built in the 14th century (made of wooden planks and rocks) is now no use because it is regularly topped by rising sea level. <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> __ Rio de Janeiro ____, Brazil __ <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">A coast city <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">South-east region of Brazil <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);"> <span style="font-family: Symbol; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 18pt;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; fontsizeadjust: none; fontstretch: normal;"> <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">Water levels are getting higher and higher and could slowly climb up Rio de Janeiro’s beaches. <span style="color: rgb(11,11,142);">

=<span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">The Netherlands - The Netherlands & Sea Level Rise G.I.T.N. =
 * The Netherlands has always been famous for its dikes and sea barriers.
 * They protect the country's below sea level land.
 * This land is home to 60 percent of the country's population.
 * The land generates 70 percent of the country's food.
 * The Dutch government has thought of putting houses on stilts or giving them anchors.
 * The Netherlands has three major rivers, the Waal, Maas, and the Scheldt river

=<span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;"> = <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="text-align: center; display: block; color: rgb(11,11,142);">Any coastal city is at risk of sinking under the waves. The water level will keep on climbing and it will top any thing in its path. 1/5 of Netherland's land is reclaimed from the sea and therefore under sea level. __New Jersey__ <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;"> The sea has risen 5-7 inches along the United States Coast for the past century. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;"> Rising water could shrink New Jersey by 3% in the next 100 years. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;"> Coastal cities could be entirely or partially covered in water. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;"> The water surrounding New Jersey could rise up to 2.3 feet. __ Baltimore ____, Maryland __ <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;"> Rising sea level is a serious threat to Baltimore <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;"> Maryland is ahead in protecting its marine life <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-list: Ignore; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;"> Its marine life, like animals in the bay are at risk because the rising water levels will mix fresh water and salt water.


 * By Nicole Phelan - ACS Cobham**

“The physical effects of sea level rise can be summarized in five categories: erosion of beaches and bluffs, increased flooding and storm damage, inundation of low-lying areas, salt intrusion into aquifers and surface waters, and higher water tables.” (Douglas, B.C.) The world’s coastline is about a million kilometres in length and consists of a wide variety of landforms, from cliffs and headlands to barrier beaches and coastal plains. Sea level rise is already making coastal communities and cities more vulnerable to extreme weather, as was clearly evidenced by the Asian Tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. There are currently 250-300 million people living in low-lying coastal areas and deltas, who are particularly threatened by sea level rise. Many of the areas at greatest risk are in countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam, as well as several nations on the African coast—who simply do not have the financial resources required to stem coastal erosion or resettle at-risk residents. Additionally, large populations in China and Egypt are facing similar devastation due to sea level rise and will ultimately need to be relocated. Millions living in the island nations of Indonesia and the Philippines could also be forced to relocate to higher ground. Citizens of several small island state nations in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Maldives, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, are at severe risk of inundation and extinction with this century. ( [|www.climate.org] ) The United States’ Atlantic and Gulf coasts and much of the UK’s coastline are similarly under siege by the sea. As we saw in the wake of devastation left by Hurricane Katrina, even the most affluent of nations have not adequately prepared to protect its citizens against the inevitable ravages of sea level rise.

Beaches are the number one tourist destination worldwide. However, erosion is threatening expensive beachfront development around the world. Beaches are especially vulnerable because they will erode at 50-200 times the rate of increase in sea level. (Douglas, B.C.) For example, the local sea level rise in Ocean City, MD USA has been about 3.5 mm per year, which has translated into a beach erosion rate of about 5 metres per decade. Ocean City, which is an affluent tourist community with just under 4.6 miles (7.4 km) of beachfront real estate and a population of just over 7,100 people, has already spent more than $82 million on a beach nourishment program to restore the width of its beach to a size that is sufficient both for recreational use and to protect buildings from storm-generated waves and surges. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimates the cost of rebuilding the levees around New Orleans (pre-Katrina population—450,000) to be between $7.7 and $9.5 billion. (Preston, Darrell) Florida planners and engineers in Palm Beach (2007 population—1,351,236) and Miami-Dade (2007 population—2,387,170) counties are examining massive public works projects—intended to hold back the sea and slow the erosion rate—that will be necessary to protect properties worth an estimated $1 trillion. Planners’ initial projections for these projects will likely dwarf the $10 billion being spent to rebuild the New Orleans levees. Similar costly public works projects have been undertaken or are being planned to remediate the damage caused by erosion and storm surges all along the East Coast of the United States. In contrast, developing countries and island nations with many millions of people and tens of thousands of miles of low-lying coastal areas simply don’t have the financial resources that would be required to effectively hold back the sea. (Coastal Contractor) <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; msoansilanguage: EN-GB;">As an island nation, the UK has certainly not been immune to the effects of sea level rise. Similar to what has occurred up and down the United States’ eastern seaboard, coastal erosion has been taking its toll on the UK’s coastlines as well. The eastern <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">English county of Norwich, home to the town of Happisburgh (population 850), has been suffering severe coastal erosion for years. Since 1990—when the offshore wooden barrier built to protect against erosion began to break apart—25 bungalows have fallen into the sea. Exhibit 9 is a picture of a Happisburgh guest house that sat well back from the water just 11 years ago and now stands precariously perched less than 15 ft from the edge of a crumbling cliff. In 2006, the government determined that the rate of erosion in Happisburgh was such that it did not make sense, either economically or environmentally, <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">to rebuild the sea barriers or continue with efforts to slow the rate of erosion. <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Nearly all of the UK’s southern and eastern coasts are characterized by sand or pebble beaches, or cliffs of limestone or chalk, which are susceptible to erosion. <span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">With about 5,000 miles (8,000 km) of coastline, the UK is especially vulnerable to the effects of increasing sea levels and storm surges. It is quite unlikely that the government will have the financial means to defend its entire coastline and will be forced to make some tough decisions about which areas to protect and which to let fall to the ravages of the sea. Clearly, close attention will have to be paid to the tidal defences in place to protect London and the Thames estuary from flooding. London is home to more than 1.3 million people and has a property value of more than £80 billion, yet Central London currently sits less than 6 metres above sea level. According to BBC News Science reporter, Jonathan Amos, “the 300 km of tidal defences including embankments, walls, gates and barriers will, at some stage, have to be adapted or moved, or new types of defences created that make better use of the natural floodplain. London’s key defensive installation, the Thames Barrier at Woolwich, also faces upgrading.” (Amos, J)

=<span style="text-align: center; display: block; color: rgb(11,11,142);"> Who is most at risk?= <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(16,22,142); font-size: 10pt;">Any city on the coast or along a river is most at risk. Cities like Venice and Rio de Janeiro are along the coast and water levels are slowly eating up the coast line. Countries like Egypt are along a sea and a major river. The salt water may find its way snaking up the Nile River and contaminating the fresh water <span style="font-family: Arial; color: rgb(11,11,142); font-size: 10pt;">.

Many people would believe that coastal cities along the eastern seaboard of the United States are most at risk from sea level rising. Many events have already occurred that show what could happen to these cities. For example, Venice, Italy has been greatly affected by the rising seas. This portrays what could become of the cities along the eastern coast of the U.S.

634 million people are at risk from rising sea levels. Places that are most at risk: Florida, Louisiana, Texas Arizona, North Carolina, Netherlands, Africa, Brazil, Chile, Mid-Atlantic Regions, Greenland, Antartica, Hawaii, California, Washington, Oregon, Cuba, Mexico

For maps of the areas that will be under water go to this website. (below) []

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