If nothing is done to decrease the effects of climate change, sea levels could rise up to 2.5 times faster than in the previous century. This finding was presented in a report on September 25th at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the UN (United Nations).

While sea levels rose close to 15 cm during the 20th century, research shows that it will rise 60 cm to 1.1metre (the average height of a child between five and six years old) by the year 2100 if air pollution continues to grow. If measures against polluting gas emissions are put in place until then and the Earth’s temperature does not rise more than 2°C, sea levels will rise less: between 30 cm and 60 cm.

The rise in world temperatures makes ice and snow melt and become water. One of the main issues with this is that oceans have to hold a larger volume of water, which could lead to seawater taking over coastal areas. This would cause many of those who live in these areas to move – living close to the ocean becomes more dangerous if the sea starts taking over more of the coastline.

Furthermore, according to the study, ocean temperature and acidity could also rise, thus threatening the life of several marine species. Acidity occurs because there is increasingly less oxygen and more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to be absorbed by the sea. Carbon dioxide is a gas emitted as a result of human activity, like burning fuel, and its abundance in the atmosphere is one of the main causes of global warming.

Together with the rise in sea levels, the warming of seawater can also lead to large cyclones forming – windmills in the atmosphere that appear on the surface of warm ocean waters.

Questions

1) Which of these facts was presented by the study?
a) Sea levels should drop by 2100.
b) Oceans are becoming saltier.
c) The number of cyclones is decreasing.
d) Sea water is warming.

2) Which actions do you think could help decrease carbon dioxide emissions?

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