Rise In Sea Level In Australia Essay
Australia: the next Atlantis
Over the past 80 years Australia has been gradually sinking. However, the rate at the water level is rising has dramatically increased.
The rise in sea level has been primarily climate change driven. Many natural and human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels has created released large amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. These emissions have caused the Earth’s surface temperature to rise, creating Thermal Expansion (where the water droplets expand due to heat) as well as the melting of ice sheets.
The unexpected rise in sea level has caused catastrophic damage especially in the lower parts of Australia as well as coastal regions. Coastal areas along Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales have had significant shrinkage to their beaches …show more content…
due to the sea water crawling up their shores. Low lying and coastal areas, predominantly in central Australia and along the east coast, have been greatly affected by the rise in sea level.
The rise in sea level has caused frequent flooding across Australia which has led to nationwide distress. Many victims of this have been forced to move or have been left homeless. Over 500,000 homes across Australia have been lost due to the rise in sea level.
SES services and other emergency services have been inundated with calls and emergency evacuations due to the frequent flooding.
Some of the sea water has seeped into groundwater supplies. This is a big problem as many cities rely on groundwater fort their fresh water supply.
So far, the cost of Australia's aging infrastructure has been 197 billion dollars. The government has been frantically trying to introduce various initiatives to slow down the effect of climate change. “We are trying to come up with ideas to slow down climate change, however increasing the carbon tax is what we think will be most effective,” said Ela Harts, Australian Prime Minister.
The rise in sea level is greatly affecting the Australian economy.
Warwick McMahon from Australian Tourism stated, “Tourists were drawn to Australia for our beautiful, sandy beaches; however the rise is threatening our tourism industry.”
Real estate has also been affected as the rise in sea level is causing house prices to drop.
The salt water is affecting many farms and is damaging many crops. This is greatly affecting the Agricultural industry
The rise in sea level is not only ruining infrastructure and the environment, but it is also causing the Australian dollar to plummet.
There has been a 6 metre rise in sea level between 2010 and 2097 with the rate of the rise is only getting faster. Over the past year there has been a 7.9mm rise in sea level which is more than double the expected rise. Scientific research suggests that 37% of the sea level increase has been due to thermal expansion, 53% of sea level increase due to the melting of the Antarctic Ice sheet and The Greenland Ice sheet and 9% of the sea level increase is from various other factors.
Due to the melting of the ice caps and the rise in sea temperature, the acidy of water has significantly risen. The high acidity has had drastic effects on both marine and on-land
ecosystems.
In the Great Barrier Reef, high water temperatures have caused coral bleaching, where coral turns white then dies. Many organisms have been affected by this. The Great Barrier has halved in size compared to the size it was in 2000.
As well as that, as the rising sea level gets rid of more shoreline, many animals such as turtles and penguins have lost their breeding and nesting areas.
Rhett Morrison from the environmental division of CSIRO said, “If we keep emitting greenhouse gasses the way we do right now, Australia will most likely be completely submerged by 2120.”
Over the past 80 years Australia has been gradually sinking. However, the rate at the water level is rising has dramatically increased.
The rise in sea level has been primarily climate change driven. Many natural and human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels has created released large amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. These emissions have caused the Earth’s surface temperature to rise, creating Thermal Expansion (where the water droplets expand due to heat) as well as the melting of ice sheets.
The unexpected rise in sea level has caused catastrophic damage especially in the lower parts of Australia as well as coastal regions. Coastal areas along Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales have had significant shrinkage to their beaches …show more content…
due to the sea water crawling up their shores. Low lying and coastal areas, predominantly in central Australia and along the east coast, have been greatly affected by the rise in sea level.
The rise in sea level has caused frequent flooding across Australia which has led to nationwide distress. Many victims of this have been forced to move or have been left homeless. Over 500,000 homes across Australia have been lost due to the rise in sea level.
SES services and other emergency services have been inundated with calls and emergency evacuations due to the frequent flooding.
Some of the sea water has seeped into groundwater supplies. This is a big problem as many cities rely on groundwater fort their fresh water supply.
So far, the cost of Australia's aging infrastructure has been 197 billion dollars. The government has been frantically trying to introduce various initiatives to slow down the effect of climate change. “We are trying to come up with ideas to slow down climate change, however increasing the carbon tax is what we think will be most effective,” said Ela Harts, Australian Prime Minister.
The rise in sea level is greatly affecting the Australian economy.
Warwick McMahon from Australian Tourism stated, “Tourists were drawn to Australia for our beautiful, sandy beaches; however the rise is threatening our tourism industry.”
Real estate has also been affected as the rise in sea level is causing house prices to drop.
The salt water is affecting many farms and is damaging many crops. This is greatly affecting the Agricultural industry
The rise in sea level is not only ruining infrastructure and the environment, but it is also causing the Australian dollar to plummet.
There has been a 6 metre rise in sea level between 2010 and 2097 with the rate of the rise is only getting faster. Over the past year there has been a 7.9mm rise in sea level which is more than double the expected rise. Scientific research suggests that 37% of the sea level increase has been due to thermal expansion, 53% of sea level increase due to the melting of the Antarctic Ice sheet and The Greenland Ice sheet and 9% of the sea level increase is from various other factors.
Due to the melting of the ice caps and the rise in sea temperature, the acidy of water has significantly risen. The high acidity has had drastic effects on both marine and on-land
ecosystems.
In the Great Barrier Reef, high water temperatures have caused coral bleaching, where coral turns white then dies. Many organisms have been affected by this. The Great Barrier has halved in size compared to the size it was in 2000.
As well as that, as the rising sea level gets rid of more shoreline, many animals such as turtles and penguins have lost their breeding and nesting areas.
Rhett Morrison from the environmental division of CSIRO said, “If we keep emitting greenhouse gasses the way we do right now, Australia will most likely be completely submerged by 2120.”