Yekaterina Borodina, a researcher at the Darwin Museum and popularizer of science, notes that climate change and the increase in global sea levels are becoming one of the most significant environmental problems of the 21st century.
“According to the latest data, the Amundsen Sea off the west coast of Antarctica will heat up three times faster than in the last century,” comments Ekaterina.
She refers to an article published in October 2023 in the journal Nature Climate Change, which states that even with attempts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, the consequences will already be noticeable.
Crisis in Antarctica and Greenland
Among the places of greatest concern is the Greenland Ice Sheet. A paper led by Niels Bohov of the University of Tromsø was published in the journal Nature, in which scientists identified a critical threshold for abrupt ice loss that is in the warming range of 1.7-2.3 degrees. “If temperatures exceed 2.2 degrees, ice loss can reach 80 percent,” Catherine says.
Direct consequences of sea level rise
Rising global sea levels entail many complex topics.
“Every meter that rises above the water level leads to flooding of low-lying coastal areas. Places where people have lived for centuries can become uninhabitable,” Borodina emphasizes.
This also necessitates the relocation of populations and threatens the loss of important infrastructure such as roads, ports and residential areas.
In this context, Catherine points to the costs associated with infrastructure adaptation, as sea level rise requires significant investments in defenses and adaptation. This results in enormous economic costs not only for local economies but also for national budgets.
Environmental and social impacts
The negative impacts of sea level rise affect not only the economy but also ecosystems.
“The mangroves and coral reefs that protect the coasts are beginning to suffer from flooding and erosion. This is leading to a loss of biodiversity and disruption of the functions of these ecosystems. We are also seeing an increase in salinity in freshwater sources, which degrades the quality of drinking water and damages agriculture,” she warns.
This is particularly important for developing countries, where agriculture often depends on irrigation.
Migration as a result of climate change
Under the influence of these changes, there is a mass migration of people from coastal zones to safer regions.
“This creates pressure on host countries to develop strategies to successfully integrate migrants,” summarizes Catherine.
As a result, the dramatic rise in global ocean levels is not just an environmental problem, but a complex combination of social, economic and environmental challenges that require urgent attention and an integrated approach.