Melting Ice and Warming Oceans

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Melting Ice and Warming Oceans

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Sea levels are rising due to melting ice sheets and warming oceans. The rate at which sea level is rising is accelerating primarily due to melting ice. Globally, most estimates suggest that sea level could rise by another metre or more by the end of this century. If all the Earth's land ice were to melt, our oceans would rise by more than 60m. So what would this mean for Asia's coastlines? By the end of the century coasts in Asia will no doubt be pushed inland, threatening the long term existence of major cities such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore, Jakarta and Manila. Sea level rise is also compounded by subsidence and increases the threat of tsunamis and storm surges. It is very likely that land that is currently home to more 700 million people in Asia will be lost to the sea, forcing coastal populations to retreat inland, leaving behind some of the continent's largest and most prosperous cities to be flooded by the ocean.

Speakers :

Assoc Prof Adam Switzer

Associate Chair (Academic), Asian School of the Environment

Principal Investigator, Earth Observatory of Singapore