Sea Level Rise Impact on Coastal Life

Sea Level Rise has increased and is expected to further rise by 30 cm to 60 cm. If the ice sheets of Greenland and West Antarctica melt completely, then the sea level rise may reach 1.2 meters. The main cause of rising sea levels are the heat expansion of the increase in sea temperature. A group of scientists thought that the ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctic melt at a rate greater than the rate previously estimated.

Sea level rise will have a major impact for coastal residents worldwide. Rising sea water has led to the sinking of low land, erosion of wetlands and lakes, flooding more severe and increased salinity of sea water. The most dramatic impact was the sinking of small island countries that will soon be history.

Coastal areas highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The impact of this will add to the pressures and problems that have occurred in coastal areas ranging from water scarcity, lack of infrastructure, transportation, healthcare and food security. For it is necessary for the development of capacity and vulnerability reduction should be done by promoting natural habitat and the human system through economic and social development plans. Before adaptation, vulnerability assessment needs to be done beforehand.

In addition to sea level rise, impacts of climate change that could affect the coastal population is changing wind patterns, changes precipitate patterns and the hydrological cycle and changes in air temperature and water. All of which can lead to the sinking of low land and marshes, coastal erosion, flooding and extreme waves, sea water intrusion into rivers and ground water in, the river water level rise, changes in ocean waves and changes in sedimentation.

As a result of climate change is the declining environmental quality of coastal and small island because of abrasion, sea water intrusion and pollution. Productivity of fisheries is also expected to decrease due to the destruction of mangrove and coral reef ecosystems and changes in land fishing, fish migration and many other factors.

Coastal communities in general have little adaptive capacity. thousands coastal village are poor. This community is very vulnerable because of the poor, that have limited infrastructure, less educated, and limited access to health care and other public service.

Adaptation efforts need to be done which includes the construction of structures and non-structural. Approach in improving the physical characteristics include the method of natural protection (mangroves, coral reefs and sand dumuk) and method of man-made (breakwater, dam, construction of protection, home yan elevated and artificial reefs).

Non-structural efforts to implement is measure, regulatory regime, relocation, reclamation, changes in spatial planning and land use and increased public awareness.

References:

Greiner, Sandra, "Briefing Paper on Adaptation", in Technical Assistance to DNPI, EC, London: August 2009.