During the same timeframe the coastal megacities will continue to grow. This woman saved herself and her family of five in a makeshift shelter after the gushing waters burst a mud embankment. 3.12 > Bangladesh experienced the full force of Cyclone Aila in 2009. By the end of the 21st century this figure is estimated to increase to 400 to 500 million. At a rough estimate more than 200 million people worldwide live along coastlines less than 5 metres above sea level.
This is not easy because no reliable topographical maps yet exist for many coastal areas. To appreciate the coastal area at greatest risk of flooding, it is necessary to first analyse current heights above sea level. Scientists have tried in various studies over recent years to assess the extent of the threat posed by sea-level rise. Also, we do not know what changes will occur to the coastal ecosystems and habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass meadows and salt marshes that provide the livelihood of coastal communities in many places. This raises the question of whether – or to what extent – these areas will retain their residential and economic value in the decades and centuries to come, or whether they may instead pose a threat to the human race. The million dollar question: how bad will it be?Ĭlimate change is placing increasing pressure on coastal regions which are already seriously affected by intensive human activity.
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