Under any scenario, countries like Bangladesh, China, India and the Netherlands are all at risk. If temperatures rise by 2 degrees, that level rise could double, with further temperature increases bringing exponential sea level increases. Meanwhile, the WMO tells us that even if global heating is miraculously limited to 1.5 degrees, there will still be a sizeable sea level rise.īut every fraction of a degree counts. The global ocean has warmed faster over the past century than at any time in the past 11,000 years. Global average sea levels have risen faster since 1900 than over any preceding century in the last 3,000 years. The World Meteorological Organization has just released a new compilation of data that spells out the grave danger of rising seas. It can damage or destroy vital infrastructure - including transportation systems, hospitals and schools, especially when combined with extreme weather events linked to the climate crisis.Īnd rising seas threaten the very existence of some low-lying communities and even countries. Saltwater intrusion can decimate jobs and entire economies in key industries like agriculture, fisheries and tourism. Rising seas threaten lives, and jeopardize access to water, food and healthcare. Sea-level rise is not only a threat in itself.įor the hundreds of millions of people living in small island developing states and other low-lying coastal areas around the world, sea-level rise is a torrent of trouble. I thank the government of Malta for shining a light on the dramatic implications of rising sea levels on global peace and security. Ian Borg, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade of Malta, Excellencies,
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