The World Meteorological Organization said in a report that the sea water level has increased in India, China, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. In this report, it was said that due to the increased sea water level, many big cities of different continents can be drowned. These include Shanghai, Dhaka, Bangkok, Jakarta, Mumbai, Maputo, Lagos, Cairo, London, Copenhagen, New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and Santiago. This time the reason for the rise in the sea water level is man and this is happening for the first time after 1971.
It has been told in the report of WMO that since 1900 the water level of the sea is increasing rapidly. According to the report, between 1993 and 2002, the average water level had increased by 2.1 mm every year, while between 2003 and 2012, the average water level had increased by 2.9 mm annually. At the same time, between 2013 and 2022, the water level has increased by an average of 4.5 mm every year. It has been said in the report that due to increase in temperature by 2 degree Celsius, the sea water level can increase by 2 to 6 meters. There is a danger of increasing the water level by 19 to 22 meters due to increase in temperature by 5 degree Celsius.
For the first time since the 20th century, sea level has risen so fast
According to the report of WMO, in the last three thousand years, the sea level rising so fast is a cause of trouble. It was also told in the report that the ocean has also become the hottest in the last 11 thousand years. It has been explained in the report that the population affected by floods will increase by 20 percent due to an increase in sea level even by 0.15 meters on an average every year. A 0.75 meter rise in sea level would put 40 per cent of the population at risk.
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said that 10 percent of the world’s population i.e. about 900 million people live in coastal areas and they are most at risk due to rising sea water level. That means 1 out of 10 people living on the earth will have to bear the brunt of flood. He told that in many African countries the life of people may be eliminated by rising sea levels.
Guterres says that many challenges will have to be faced due to rising sea water level. The rising water level will affect the lives of 25 to 45 crore people. Many islands or countries may disappear as well as land for living and water for drinking will also be in danger. This can happen in less than 80 years. This time is short, so this will also become a big challenge.
Why is the water level rising?
The biggest reason for rising water level is climate change, due to which the temperature of the earth is increasing. Due to increase in temperature, the ice is melting and the seas are also getting warmer. According to UN estimates, 150 billion tons of ice is melting in Antarctica every year.
What is climate change?
Before understanding climate change, it is necessary to understand climate. Climate refers to the average weather in a given area over a long period of time. Whenever there is a change in the average weather of a particular region, it is called Climate Change.
Climate change is felt from a particular place to the whole world simultaneously. At present, the effect of climate change is being seen all over the world.
Scientists who study the earth say that the temperature of the earth is continuously increasing. In the last 100 years, the temperature of the earth has increased by 1 degree Fahrenheit is troubling the scientists. This change in the Earth’s temperature can be much less than the Earth’s population. But such a change could have huge and dangerous implications for the human race.
Now the increased temperature of the earth and rising water level of the oceans is the result of climate change. Natural and human activities are responsible for climate change.
This is happening for the first time after 1971 when the reason for the rise in water level is human activities. Human activities are rapidly increasing urbanization, industrialization.
Why India needs to fear this
In the report of WMO, India is also at risk from the rising sea water level. The biggest danger is to Mumbai. In 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change i.e. IPCC released a report. Based on this report, Noida-based firm RMSI estimated that several cities, including Mumbai, Kochi, Mangalore, Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram, could be submerged due to rising sea levels.
India is surrounded by the Himalayas on one side and the sea on three sides. The border of 13 states of India is adjacent to the sea. It includes Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Puducherry, Andaman-Nicobar, Daman-Diu and Lakshadweep. In such a situation, there can be a big danger for India in the future.
IPCC also warned that India will face more frequent heat waves, heavy rains and cyclones in the coming decades. Due to the rise in the sea level, the villages and areas situated in the low-lying coastal areas will be affected the most. Mumbai has already received heavy rains in the past decades. At the same time, West Bengal has also suffered devastation after two cyclones Amphan and Cyclone Yaas.
41 severe cyclonic storms and 21 cyclonic storms formed over the Bay of Bengal region
According to UNESCO World Heritage, the Bay of Bengal region Sundarbans is one of the most endangered areas in India. The data between 1891 and 2018 showed that 41 severe cyclonic storms and 21 cyclonic storms formed over the Bay of Bengal region during this period. All these incidents are from the month of May.
Way to deal with this difficulty
In view of the increasing danger of climate change, India started the National Action Plan in the year 2008. Whose purpose is to make different agencies of the government, scientists, industry and general public aware about the danger arising from climate change and efforts to combat it.
This action plan includes 8 missions-< /p>
- National Solar Mission
- National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
- National Water Mission
- National Mission for Improving the Himalayan Ecosystem
- National Mission for Green India
- National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
- National Mission on Climate Change Strategy
