Question
Why is a rise in sea level significant?
(use evidence from this text)
“The land is part of me...”
"The future kind of scares me, just thinking about how we're going to survive." says 18-year old Harlie Potter, an Inuit living in the autonomous area of Nunatsiavut in Newfoundland, Canada. Today, warming is most noticeable in the polar regions, especially in the Arctic.
How Will Climate Change in the Future?
Earth’s temperature will keep rising unless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed. The temperature in 2100 may be as much as 5° C (9° F) higher than it was in 2000. Is 5° C (9° F) a lot? It's more than the increase in temperature from the the times of maximum ice during the Pleistocene to now. Since the end of the Pleistocene, the temperature has only risen about 4° C. That's just 4° C from abundant ice to the moderate climate we have today. How might a 5° C increase in temperature affect Earth in the future?
Warming will affect the entire globe by the end of this century. The map in Figure below shows how much temperatures will change by 2050 based on NOAA’s Coupled Climate 2.1 model. The Arctic and inland areas are predicted to see a higher temperature increase, while the temperature increase in coastal areas and the Southern Ocean are likely to be more moderate.
Map showing projected surface air temperature changes by 2050 according to NOAA climate model.
[Figure 2]
The Arctic will experience the greatest temperature changes.
What Will Happen?
As temperature rises, more sea ice will melt. The figure below shows how much less sea ice there may be in 2050 if temperatures keep going up (Figure below). This would cause sea level to rise even higher. Some coastal cities could be under water. Millions of people would have to move inland. How might other living things be affected?
Comparison of Arctic sea ice thickness in the 1950s and projected for the 2050s.
[Figure 3]
In the 2050s, there may be only half as much sea ice as there was in the 1950s.
Weather will become more extreme. Heat waves and droughts will become more frequent and more intense. Areas that previously were humid, like the Amazon rainforest, will become drier. Cropland worldwide will be affected by drought. Other places may flood more frequently as hurricanes and other storms become more severe.
Plants and animals will move or die out. Some will thrive in a warmer world, but most will not. The biosphere may become quite different.
These are only a few of the impacts warmer temperatures will have. The vast majority of scientists agree that this is what is happening
(use evidence from this text)
“The land is part of me...”
"The future kind of scares me, just thinking about how we're going to survive." says 18-year old Harlie Potter, an Inuit living in the autonomous area of Nunatsiavut in Newfoundland, Canada. Today, warming is most noticeable in the polar regions, especially in the Arctic.
How Will Climate Change in the Future?
Earth’s temperature will keep rising unless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed. The temperature in 2100 may be as much as 5° C (9° F) higher than it was in 2000. Is 5° C (9° F) a lot? It's more than the increase in temperature from the the times of maximum ice during the Pleistocene to now. Since the end of the Pleistocene, the temperature has only risen about 4° C. That's just 4° C from abundant ice to the moderate climate we have today. How might a 5° C increase in temperature affect Earth in the future?
Warming will affect the entire globe by the end of this century. The map in Figure below shows how much temperatures will change by 2050 based on NOAA’s Coupled Climate 2.1 model. The Arctic and inland areas are predicted to see a higher temperature increase, while the temperature increase in coastal areas and the Southern Ocean are likely to be more moderate.
Map showing projected surface air temperature changes by 2050 according to NOAA climate model.
[Figure 2]
The Arctic will experience the greatest temperature changes.
What Will Happen?
As temperature rises, more sea ice will melt. The figure below shows how much less sea ice there may be in 2050 if temperatures keep going up (Figure below). This would cause sea level to rise even higher. Some coastal cities could be under water. Millions of people would have to move inland. How might other living things be affected?
Comparison of Arctic sea ice thickness in the 1950s and projected for the 2050s.
[Figure 3]
In the 2050s, there may be only half as much sea ice as there was in the 1950s.
Weather will become more extreme. Heat waves and droughts will become more frequent and more intense. Areas that previously were humid, like the Amazon rainforest, will become drier. Cropland worldwide will be affected by drought. Other places may flood more frequently as hurricanes and other storms become more severe.
Plants and animals will move or die out. Some will thrive in a warmer world, but most will not. The biosphere may become quite different.
These are only a few of the impacts warmer temperatures will have. The vast majority of scientists agree that this is what is happening
Answers
GPT-4o mini
A rise in sea level is significant for several reasons, particularly highlighted in the context of climate change and its impacts on both human populations and natural ecosystems.
1. **Inundation of Coastal Areas**: As sea levels rise due to melting ice and thermal expansion of water, many coastal cities are at risk of being submerged. The text emphasizes that "some coastal cities could be under water," indicating a real and imminent threat to densely populated urban areas. This would not only displace millions of people but also disrupt economies and infrastructure, leading to significant social and environmental challenges.
2. **Forced Migration**: The anticipated rise in sea level stands to affect the homes of millions, necessitating "millions of people [to] move inland." This mass displacement could lead to "climate refugees," further exacerbating resource scarcity and straining social services in areas that receive these populations.
3. **Ecosystem Disruption**: The text notes that as temperatures rise and ice melts, ecosystems will face upheaval. While some species may adapt, "plants and animals will move or die out," resulting in a loss of biodiversity. Specific habitats that are vital for various species will become increasingly vulnerable, threatening the delicate balance of local and global ecosystems.
4. **Extreme Weather Events**: The increase in sea temperature is linked with more intense weather patterns. The passage mentions that "weather will become more extreme," implying that rising sea levels will not only lead to flooding but also worsen the impact of storms and hurricanes, increasing damage and loss of life.
5. **Global Temperature Increase**: The text starkly notes that Earth’s temperature could increase by as much as 5° C (9° F) by 2100, equating to a significant shift in climate that historically correlates with drastic environmental changes. This temperature rise fuels the cycle of sea level increase, creating a feedback loop that could result in even greater ecological and economic challenges.
In conclusion, a rise in sea level is not just a localized problem; it encapsulates widespread existential threats that intertwine with climate change, impacting human life, biodiversity, and global weather patterns. Each element of this broader issue points to an urgent need for action in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions to stabilize our planet's climate.
1. **Inundation of Coastal Areas**: As sea levels rise due to melting ice and thermal expansion of water, many coastal cities are at risk of being submerged. The text emphasizes that "some coastal cities could be under water," indicating a real and imminent threat to densely populated urban areas. This would not only displace millions of people but also disrupt economies and infrastructure, leading to significant social and environmental challenges.
2. **Forced Migration**: The anticipated rise in sea level stands to affect the homes of millions, necessitating "millions of people [to] move inland." This mass displacement could lead to "climate refugees," further exacerbating resource scarcity and straining social services in areas that receive these populations.
3. **Ecosystem Disruption**: The text notes that as temperatures rise and ice melts, ecosystems will face upheaval. While some species may adapt, "plants and animals will move or die out," resulting in a loss of biodiversity. Specific habitats that are vital for various species will become increasingly vulnerable, threatening the delicate balance of local and global ecosystems.
4. **Extreme Weather Events**: The increase in sea temperature is linked with more intense weather patterns. The passage mentions that "weather will become more extreme," implying that rising sea levels will not only lead to flooding but also worsen the impact of storms and hurricanes, increasing damage and loss of life.
5. **Global Temperature Increase**: The text starkly notes that Earth’s temperature could increase by as much as 5° C (9° F) by 2100, equating to a significant shift in climate that historically correlates with drastic environmental changes. This temperature rise fuels the cycle of sea level increase, creating a feedback loop that could result in even greater ecological and economic challenges.
In conclusion, a rise in sea level is not just a localized problem; it encapsulates widespread existential threats that intertwine with climate change, impacting human life, biodiversity, and global weather patterns. Each element of this broader issue points to an urgent need for action in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions to stabilize our planet's climate.