 The presence of such high concentrations of greenhouse gases is altering the Earth's climate, raising temperatures and impacting on the landscape.
A recent Reuters article shows that rising sea levels are eroding Sydney beaches. By 2050 there is a risk portions of the beach will disappear altogether. The beaches in danger are those which are very low-lying and they are up against higher landforms behind them, they will become narrower.
The coastline will move inward. What is now currently a vegetated dune may become the beach. An expected recession of the coastline of a sandy beach of about one meter for every centimeter rise in sea level.
This article came about after a Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) study, commissioned by the Department of Climate Change. The reports showed an overall impact of global change "will pose some very significant risks to the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture in Australia". The worries are that in 50 years times the Sydney shoreline in Australia will be in so much disarray the city will become unsustainable.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed that human activity has increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide - in 2007 at its highest level for 650,000 years.
The collapse of the Wilkins Ice Shelf in the Antarctic has been confirmed as a consequence of warming in the Southern Ocean.Labels: australia, beaches, climate change, shoreline |
The oceans are warming and warm water expands. Some ice is also melting. It is a dangerous trend, no doubt about it. And if the methane under the oceans should melt, things would get 100 times worse. It is time to develop personal strength so as to be ready for whatever comes.