Sea levels have been alarmingly rising over the last couple of decades. This has been largely due to the noticeably growing effects of global warming. Studies have indicated that global warming has been on the rise significantly owing to the profound effects of human activity. As a result of sea levels rising exponentially, there have been adverse and devastating consequences that have been felt across the gulf coast, triggering the urgent need for global action to mitigate this growing situation. We take a look at the effect of rising sea levels on the gulf coast.
Why is the sea level rising?
The current conversation around climate change has brought to light the profound consequences that have gradually been experienced worldwide. Extreme climatic conditions such as irregular rain patterns and unpredictable winds sweeping across oceans and continents have had an immeasurable impact on nature’s dynamics. Global warming is one phenomenon that has threatened to cause extensive and adverse effects on sea levels, steadily engulfing entire land masses along the gulf coast.
Rising temperatures within both the earth’s atmosphere and its core have inevitably caused ice caps in the Antarctic to gradually melt into the oceans and subsequently cause sea levels to rise significantly. This has seen some major implications caused by flooding and erosion around coastal regions as a result of the rising sea levels. It is estimated, for instance, that at the current rate of global warming, sea levels along the gulf coast are projected to rise by up to 1 meter by 2030, depending on the average temperature of global warming consistently maintained during this period. Below are some of the effects of rising sea levels;
Floods and erosion
One of the direct impacts of rising sea levels would be the increased flooding and erosion being witnessed along the gulf coast. This is further enhanced by the constantly growing inhabitation of coastal regions, which ends up in congestion and subsequent loss of coastal habitats that would otherwise provide much-needed natural shoreline protection. Sustained erosion over the last few decades has seen the loss of massive land masses that wash away into the sea while, in the process damaging productive land that could be used for economic activity.
Disrupted marine life
Rising sea levels have seen a significant disruption of marine life along the gulf coast thanks to the destruction of coastal habitats that provide a natural ecosystem for the various species inhabiting the gulf coast. Coastal activities such as fishing have been profoundly affected by factors such as the encroachment of destructive and invasive species that have brought down the economic value of the gulf coast due to rising sea levels.
Conclusion
While there are deliberate global efforts to counteract the effects of rising sea levels, its effects are undeniable, and for as long as these efforts are still overwhelmed by human activities that contribute to global warming, sea levels are projected to keep rising along with its adverse effects to the human population.