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It was palpable during the first-ever United Nations Security Council session on sea level rise, held earlier this week, that the world has a sea of issues to address, especially global warming, failing which the implications on the human race could be overwhelming. Citing a report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), UN Secretary-General António Guterres opened the discussion by highlighting the “unthinkable” risks the ever-increasing sea level could pose to billions of people across the globe. “We would witness a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale, and we would see ever-fiercer competition for fresh water, land and other resources,” he warned, adding that low-lying areas and entire countries could disappear forever in the coming decades. Going by the present scenario, he said countries from Bangladesh to China, India and the Netherlands, as well as mega cities from across the world will be at risk of being affected by the rise in sea level. The world faces an imminent threat as many coastlines are already witnessing a visible increase in sea level over the years. A report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce, said that on average, the global sea level has risen 8–9 inches (21–24 centimeters) since 1880, recording a new high of 97 mm (3.8 inches) in 2021, above the 1993 levels. Painting a grim picture of the future, studies have said that the rise in sea level will be significant even if global heating is miraculously limited to 1.5 degrees.
Experts have highlighted that the rise in sea level is primarily caused by melting glaciers and expansion of seawater due to heating. As temperatures rise, incidents of glacier collapse too have increased drastically over the years, with two such events reported in Italy and Kyrgyzstan last year, which claimed several lives. Global warming has also hit the Arctic region, affecting the pattern of the polar vortex, thus causing extreme weather conditions in other parts of the world. The implications of climate change and the subsequent rise in the sea level will have a devastating effect on humankind and not just those living in coastal areas. Warning about mass migration is real as millions of people displaced by the phenomenon will look for safer places. Meanwhile, saltwater intrusion can affect agriculture and other sectors. It will have a rippling effect on humanity, including water and food crisis. The world should take experts’ warning seriously and implement pragmatic measures to check global warming through drastic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Failing to do so will prove catastrophic for humankind as not a single soul can escape nature’s wrath. Sea level matters.