Recent reports by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) have highlighted the threat of rising sea levels globally, with countries such as India, China, Bangladesh and the Netherlands facing the highest risk. Many major cities across continents, including Shanghai, Dhaka, Bangkok, Jakarta, Mumbai, Maputo, Lagos, Cairo, London, Copenhagen, New York, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, and Santiago are in danger due to this rising trend.
Key Findings from the WMO Report
The “Global Sea-level Rise and Implications” report released by WMO has documented several alarming projections. It indicated that between 2013 and 2022, the Global mean sea-level increased by 4.5 mm/year, with human influence being the probable main driver since at least 1971. It also mentioned an increase in Global mean sea-level by 0.20m between 1901 and 2018, and projected higher sea levels even if global heating is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.
Contributors to the Rising Sea Level
The report identified thermal expansion as the main contributor, accounting for 50% of sea level rise during 1971-2018. Other significant contributors included ice loss from glaciers (22%), ice-sheet loss (20%), and changes in land-water storage (8%). Notably, the rate of ice-sheet loss surged by four times between 1992-1999 and 2010-2019.
The Impact of Rising Sea Levels
With sustained warming levels between 2-3 degree Celsius, the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets could face permanent damage leading to multimeter sea-level rise. This would result in the loss of coastal ecosystems, groundwater salinization, flooding, and damage to coastal infrastructure, posing risks to health, food, water security, and cultural values.
The Scenario for India
India’s sea level along the coast rose by about 1.7 mm/year during the last century (1900-2000), as reported by the Ministry of Earth Sciences. A future rise at a rate of 5 cm/decade could result in 300 meters of land being claimed by the sea in a century, making India vulnerable to compounding impacts of sea level rise. In addition, the Indian Ocean is warming up rapidly, intensifying cyclones, and increasing flooding due to sea-level rise.
Recommendations to Address the Crisis
The report emphasized the need to tackle climate change and improve early warning systems. It recommended supporting grassroots resilience efforts and broadening the understanding of the root causes of insecurity.
About the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
The WMO is an intergovernmental organization having 192 Member States and Territories, including India. Founded after the 1873 Vienna International Meteorological Congress, the WMO became the United Nations’ specialized agency for meteorology (weather and climate), operational hydrology, and related geophysical sciences on 23rd March 1950. The WMO operates out of its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.