India, along with China, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands, is among the countries that would be worst affected by sea level rise because of their large coastal populations
Mumbai, along with several other coastal cities, could be seriously affected by rising sea levels, warns a report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a United Nations agency that focuses on weather, climate, and water resources. The report, published on Tuesday, notes that sea levels rose by 4.5 millimeters annually on average between 2013 and 2022, more than three times the rate seen between 1901 and 1971. This could have serious consequences for coastal populations and ecosystems, as it increases the erosion of coastal areas and intensifies flooding and storm surges. Soil and groundwater contamination with salt could also impact food security.
The report indicates that the average yearly rise in sea levels has steadily increased from 1.3 mm between 1901 and 1971 to 3.7 mm between 2006 and 2018, and the current 4.5 mm rise is the highest so far. The report also states that human activities are the primary cause of this increase since 1971.
India, along with China, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands, is among the countries that would be worst affected by sea level rise because of their large coastal populations. Anjal Prakash, a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and research director and adjunct associate professor at the Indian School of Business, noted that sea level rise poses a significant threat to India’s water security and food production, especially due to salt contamination.
Several major cities, including Mumbai, Shanghai, London, New York, and Los Angeles, are at high risk due to sea level rise, according to the report. Even if global warming is limited to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, sea levels will continue to rise for centuries to come due to deep-ocean warming and ice-sheet melt. The Earth is currently 1.1°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The report underlines the need for policy measures and adaptation strategies to address the impacts of sea level rise.