The world is being threatened by rising sea levels

According to a report by NPR (National Public Radio), an example of this threat is the slow breakdown of the barriers that line Alexandria, Egypts Eastern Harbor.

All of Egypts large cities lie along the Nile, which supports fertile land amid the desert landscape, a fact that makes it imperative that the rising water levels is bound to affect vegetation and farming in the region.

Scientists have predicted that rural towns and urban areas along Egypts northern coast will be flooded, turning millions of people into environmental refugees and threatening some of the countrys ancient landmarks, many of which are underwater.

One of the issues we are facing is not just the sea level rising, but the violence in the sea and the waves affecting the corniche, the wall surrounding the Eastern Harbor, said Emad Khalil, an underwater archeologist at the University of Southhampton in the United Kingdom.

Though Alexandrias residents might not notice the change, but according to rural farmers, they are already living with the consequences as salty water from the rising Mediterranean pushes into the fertile Nile Delta and contaminates the groundwater used to irrigate crops.

According to Salah Soliman, a professor at the Department of Pesticide Chemistry and Toxicology at Alexandria University, the Nile used to add soil to Egypt every year. But the Aswan High Dam, built in 1970, has prevented the river from depositing sediments.

Erosion, combined with the rising sea level, sends saltwater under the rich, fertile soil south of the Nile Delta. When the water evaporates, the salt remains, making it almost impossible to grow crops.

Now with climate change, we are losing what we have gained over the last many thousand years, said Soliman. Water is coming from the sea toward the southern part of the delta and affecting vegetation and farmers, he added.

Sea levels are expected to rise 30 cm on the north coast of BC and up to 50 cm on the north Yukon coast by 2050. This could cause increased sedimentation, coastal flooding, and put low-lying homes, docks and port facilities at risk.

In winter, increased precipitation, permafrost degradation and glacier retreat may lead to landslides. Glacier reduction could affect flow of rivers and streams, and impact tourism, hydroelectric generation, fish habitat and lifestyles.

Sea levels had risen by two cms (three-quarters of an inch) in the 18th century, six cms (2.3 inches) in the 19th century and by 19 cms (7.4 inches) in the last century.

According to Steve Nerem from the University of Colorado in the United States, who is also involved in sea level research, this effect is set to generate around one-third of the future rise in sea levels.

“There is a lot of evidence out there that we will see around one metre in 2100,” he said although the rise would be different around the world.

“We’re seeing big changes in Greenland, we’re seeing big changes in West Antarctica, so we’re expecting this to show up in the sea level data as an increase in the rate we’ve been observing.”