Source: IE

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Context :

• A recent study published in the journal Nature found that melting glaciers have contributed to a 2 cm sea level rise this century alone.
• Glaciers have lost 273 billion tonnes of ice each year for the last 25 years. It is equivalent to the amount of water the Earth's population would consume over 30 years.

Why is the Sea Level Rising?

• As global temperatures rise, oceans are becoming warmer, causing the water to expand and increase in volume. This is also known as thermal expansion of seawater.
• (NASA) said that thermal expansion of seawater is responsible for 1/3rd to half of global sea level rise.
• Global warming is causing the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, leading to an increase in sea levels.
• Since 2000, glaciers have lost between 2% and 39% of their ice regionally and about 5% globally.

The Rise in Numbers

• The global sea level has risen by about 21 cm since 1880. when records were first kept, according to the US agency National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• The rate of sea level rise has accelerated dramatically, more than doubling from 0.18 cm per year in 1993 to 0.42 cm per year currently.
• The sea level has risen by more than 10 cm between 1993 and 2024, according to NASA.

Regional Variations

• The sea level is not rising uniformly worldwide. For example:
  • • The southwestern Indian Ocean region is experiencing a faster rate of sea level rise (2.5 mm per year) than the global average, according to a 2022 World Meteorological Organization report.
    • Coastal cities in India, such as:
      • Mumbai: 44 cm between 1987 and 2021, the worst among Indian cities, according to a 2024 report by the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP).
      • Haldia (West Bengal): 726 cm
      • Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): 381 cm
      • Kochi (Kerala): 213 cm
    • The island city of Mumbai has an average elevation of around 10 m above sea level, making it extremely vulnerable to future sea level rise.

Why Should We Be Concerned?

• An increase in sea level can lead to:
  • • More frequent and intense coastal flooding
    • Coastal erosion
    • Displacement of populations living close to the coast
    • Contamination of freshwater supplies
    • Impacts on coastal ecosystems like mangroves, coral reefs, and salt marshes
• Every c.m. of sea level rise exposes another 2 million people to annual flooding somewhere on the planet, according to UK's Northumbria University.
• Between 1990 and 2016, the West Bengal coast alone lost almost 99 sq km of land, according to a 2018 report by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR).

Mitigation

• Mitigation refers to actions taken to reduce or prevent the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) or to enhance their removal from the atmosphere. Essentially, it's about addressing the root cause of climate change.
• Examples:
  • • Renewable Energy: Shifting from fossil fuels to sources like solar, wind, and geothermal power.
    • Improved Energy Efficiency: Using less energy for the same output, through better insulation, more efficient appliances, and smarter transportation.
    • Reducing deforestation: forests absorb CO2, so protecting them is vital.
    • Carbon capture and storage (CCS): technologies that capture CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial sources and store them underground.

Adaptation

• Adaptation involves adjusting to actual or expected future climate change effects. It's about minimizing the negative impacts and maximizing the positive opportunities that arise from a changing climate.
• Examples:
  • • Building Coastal Defenses (Seawalls): Protecting coastal communities from rising sea levels and storm surges.
    • Restoring Natural Barriers (Mangroves): Utilizing natural ecosystems to buffer coastlines and reduce erosion.
    • Developing Early Warning Systems: Providing timely alerts for extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and heatwaves.
    • Implementing Land-Use Planning: Designing cities and infrastructure to be resilient to climate impacts.
    • Managed Retreat: Relocating communities from areas that are becoming increasingly vulnerable to sea-level rise or other climate hazards.
    • Developing drought resistant crops: adapting agriculture to the changing climate.
      

• Agreements like the Paris Agreement are crucial for coordinated global action on climate change.
• They provide a framework for countries to set emission reduction targets and support adaptation efforts.
  

Both mitigation and adaptation are essential components of a comprehensive climate change response. 

Source: 

IE