Major Cities To Be Underwater By 2100

Global warming is unleashing its effect more fiercely than we all thought. Fears of global warming will be discussed at the Copenhagen conference of climate change. But a detailed study by a group of more than 100 scientists has revealed that sea levels due to global warming are rising faster than expected. Global warming is having a devastating effect on Antarctica especially. There has been a significant amount of thinning of the ice sheet in western Antarctic, and nearly 90% of the glaciers across the Antarctic peninsula had retreated over recent decade. Global warming will have its effect on the Himalayan glaciers too to a large extent.

Rise in the sea levels is majorly due to thermal expansion of the ocean because of global warming, and also increased water inflows from the melting glaciers and ice caps. Sea levels are expected to rise by 1½ meters (more than 4 feet) by the end of this century. This is more than double of what the previous studies projected. SCAR executive director Colin Summerhayes spoke to reporters during a media briefing in London, and said, "We can see the west Antarctic glaciers are shrinking at a rate fast enough to contribute to a sea level rise of 1.4 m by 2100, but it will be no more than that. Anybody who lives in coastal cities needs to be slightly worried by projections of 1 meter or more."

Previous studies had already revealed that Maldives would be underwater by 2100. Now this study only makes this theory even more believable. But also the new study has put the Indian coastlines under serious threat. Major Indian coastal cities like Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata would also be under the sea by the end of the century. Bangladesh, Thailand and neighboring areas will also be under threat. So all are hoping that some tough decisions and concrete measures will be decided upon at the Copenhagen conference. After all we have just this one planet to live on, as of now!