GEOGRAPHY

Question: Why sea levels rising?

Ans : According to the World Meterological Organization, the global mean sea levels hit a record of height in 2023.

It poses a serious global threat as nearly 40% of the world's population lives near the coast and nearly 900 million in low - elevation zones.

Low - lying small islands, like Fiji , the Maldives and Tuvalu, are facing some of the most critical threats from sea level rise. Apart from these, countries like India, China and Bangladesh are at risk.

Causes of sea level rise:

a) Planetary heating: sea level is driven by global warming, caused by carbon dioxide, methane and other emissions released from the burning of fossil fuels for uses including energy, industry and transport. This is making the ocean heat up.

b) Human activities 

One of the major sources of sea level rise is the melting of ice sheets and mountain glaciers due to increasing heat.

Solution to prevent: 

a) Rapid reduction of emissions.

b) Adaptation measures, 

- creating sea walls 

- storm surge barriers 

- improving drainage systems 

- flood resistant buildings.

c) For low lying small island states responses to sea level rise include moving entire villages to higher ground in Fiji, building floating cities in the Maldives and reclaiming land from the sea in Tuvalu.

Many developing regions need financial help to deal with sea level rise.