Climate change impact on Coasts

• Climate warming impact on the coast

  • Leads to the melting of mountain glaciers (Alps, Himalayas) and polar ice sheets —> Sea level rise
  • IPCC (Intergovernmental panel on climate change) attributes 50% of sea level rise from 1990 - 2010 to the melting of ice sheets
  • Warming also leads to thermal expansion of the water in the ocean - further raising sea levels —> 94% of increased heat energy in the climate system is transferred to the oceans
• Tuvalu 1.

  • Is densely populated and generally less than 3m above sea level —> New predictions of 1.3 -1.6m of sea level rise by 2100 put the area at serious risk of becoming uninhabitable
  • Tuvalu is made up of 9 tiny islands in the South-West pacific - with the highest point being 4.5m above sea level
• Tuvalu 2.

  • In the centre of the Island, water comes up and out of the coral bedrock and covers part of the airport and roads on the main Island causing transport issues - problem excerbated by the Islands geology
  • Several times a year, the waves from the Pacific Ocean flood roads, neigbourhoods , crops and trees - with waves reaching the middle of the Island
• Tuvalu 4.

  • Decreasing fish catch due to the destruction of the reefs —> Food insecurity
  • Saltwater intrusion into farmland has damaged crops and income —> Food insecurity + poverty
  • Rising saltwater table could also destroy deeprooted crops - e.g coconut, pulaka and taro - foods native to the Island —> Food insecurity
  • Food insecurity means they have to import more food - making food more expensive —> Leading to health and dietary impacts (cumulative effects)
• Tuvalu 3.

  • In November 2001, over 3,000 Tuvulans left their homeland - as a result of worsening conditions (Droughts and food security - contamination of ground water supply due to rising saltwater table makes them completely reliant on rainwater)
  • Australia allows 280 Tuvualns a year as environmental refugees