Global warming is responsible for many of the ills that plague the world today and it's the result of the greenhouse gases produced by humans. The effects are felt in the Polar Regions from where the ice melts and results in sea-level rise that, in turn, increase fears of flooding along the coastlines. The sum total of global warming is an ecological disaster that throws lives into disarray, forcing all living beings to adapt to a new scenario.
The effects on California
Los Angeles Times reports that California may face coastal flooding because scientists have predicted that there would be a considerable rise in sea-level by 2050.
As explained by Sean Vitousek, a coastal scientist at the University of Illinois at Chicago, instances of coastline flooding is expected to double all over the world and will lead to serious environmental problems which must be addressed in advance.
Flooding is not new to California: the El Niño effect have led to severe coastal erosion on the West Coast. It is known that sea-level rise leads to coastal erosion from the waves and disturbs not only the environment and the ecological balance but also disturbs the lifestyle of all living beings including humans. The animals, birds and fish leave their natural habitats and migrate to new regions to avoid effects of global warming.
Areas most likely to be affected
California's southern portion is expected to face the brunt of sea-level rise, according to Sean Vitousek. In this region, there is less sandy beach to provide some sort of a buffer from storms. Hence, the impact here would be more. In comparison, impact on beaches in Los Angeles area would be less because there the beaches are much wider and there are large buffers of sand between land and water.
The intention of scientists is to involve state and local agencies in the decision making process so that they can locate the most vulnerable areas and be ready with suitable preventive measures to contain the effects of global warming. One of these is more beach nourishment but, it would be a temporary solution and a more permanent solution must be worked out otherwise coastline flooding cannot be avoided.
In short, in order to reduce effects of global warming and save the environment, there must be a concerted effort to reduce greenhouse gases and encourage use of alternate energy like solar power. If ecology is safe, mankind would also be safe.