Global warming is playing havoc with the lives of people. A study on the economic impact of sea-level rise caused by the climate crisis paints a grim picture. Experts caution that if the world does not take timely action to control global warming, it would be catastrophic. The study is the first to assess the impact of rising sea levels on the global economy. It explains that unchecked climate change could lead to large scale coastal flooding. That would mean a heavy loss of gross domestic product by 2100. It would be in terms of lost or damaged assets and recovery would be not just a long drawn process but have major financial implications.

This would be the outcome because large areas of land would be underwater and millions of people would be homeless. It would mean untold miseries for those who live on the coasts. They would lose their homes, and source of income. CNN says Ebru Kirezci, from the University of Melbourne, led the study.

The study on sea-level rise

Global warming is the source of many ills that plague the world. Right now, coastal flooding due to sea-level rise affects millions of people and this could increase substantially by 2100.

Moreover, large amounts of the coastline could disappear, and ignoring these danger signs would be unwise. CNN says the study identified high-risk areas that include parts of the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Incidentally, the majority of these vulnerable areas are heavily populated and the local communities have to face floods due to sea-level rise regularly.

They have to depend on Renewable Energy in case of power failure. There must be a policy change to offset the possibilities of further damage. Policymakers must realize the future scenario and take suitable action before it is too late.

The rise in sea level linked to global warming

The study is exhaustive and it analyzes the rise in sea levels during extreme storms over the past three decades.

This was done to assess the maximum area that could be at risk of flooding since beach erosion is linked to storms. CNN goes on to add greenhouse gas emissions to increase the temperature of oceans and the planet. These, in turn, lead to the melting of ice from the poles with a consequent rise in sea levels. It is necessary to focus on this aspect because severe flooding translates into a loss of billions of dollars every year in damages. These cover houses, buildings, and major infrastructures like roads, pipelines, and electrical supplies. Communication lines are disrupted, agriculture also takes a severe beating and those who rely on it are hard hit. The intention of the study was to pass on a message to decision-makers about the seriousness of the problem and impress upon them the need to take timely action.

This is necessary in order to save the world.

Plans to tackle sea-level rise

According to CNBC, another author of the study is Ian Young. He is a professor at the University of Melbourne and he says – “We are attempting to understand the magnitude of the global scale impacts of future coastal flooding. Globally we need to understand that changes of this nature will occur by 2100 and we need to plan how we are going to respond.”

Researchers analyzed data on global sea-level rise projections against the backdrop of wide-ranging scenarios of greenhouse gas emission. They concentrated on areas that face risks of flooding from storm surge, tides, and ocean waves. Most of these are third world countries and could encounter humanitarian issues.

On a rough estimate, climate change is raising sea levels at a rate of about one-eighth of an inch per year. Possible remedies are improving coastal protection structures through sea walls, apart from deployment of coastal warning systems and increased preparedness.
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