The reality of climate change is something that cannot be debated. The impact and effects are already being felt and will continue to be felt in the coming years.
As climate change worsens, a new assessment from NASA and other government agencies paints a grim picture for coastal regions of the world. The assessment found that the rise in ocean height in the next 30 years could equal the total rise seen over the past 100 years!
Nicole LeBoeuf, Director of NOAA’s National Ocean Service, said “Make no mistake: sea level rise is upon us.” The projected increase is especially alarming and has shown a rapid increase over the past two decades.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said, “Sea levels are continuing to rise at an alarming rate, endangering communities around the world. Science is indisputable and urgent action is required to mitigate a climate crisis that is well underway.”
A team of researchers from the Department of Ocean Engineering & Naval Architecture, IIT Kharagpur under the Climate Change Programme (CCP) have predicted that regions in the Bay of Bengal, South China Sea and South Indian Ocean could experience higher wave activity in the future. With increased wave activity, the threat of inundation could affect the shoreline configuration, damage to infrastructure, saltwater intrusion into groundwater, destruction of crops and affect the human population with a range of socio-economic consequences.
Although there are multiple organisations around the world that are working towards countering climate change, some actions that each of us can take at an individual level matter hugely. Simple things like adopting eco-friendly products, promoting zero waste practices, using recycled stationery or even choosing ethical brands that are good for the ecology.
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