Water creeps onto land…
Rising sea level puts US Atlantic coast at risk: report
Updated: Sun, 24 Jun 2012 17:34:40 GMT | By Agence France-Presse
The sea level on a stretch of the US Atlantic coast that features the cities of New York, Norfolk and Boston is rising up to four times faster than the global average, a report said Sunday.
This increases the flood risk for one of the world’s most densely-populated coastal areas and threatens wetland habitats, said a study reported in the journal Nature Climate Change.
Since about 1990, the sea level along the 1,000-kilometre (620-mile) “hotspot” zone has risen by two to 3.7 millimetres (0.08 to 0.15 inches) per year.
The global rise over the same period was between 0.6 and one millimetre per year, said the study by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
If global temperatures continue to rise, the sea level on this portion of the coast by 2100 could rise up to 30 centimetres over and above the one-metre global surge projected by scientists, it added.
The localised acceleration is thought to be caused by a disruption of Atlantic current circulation.
“As fresh water from the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet enters the ocean, it disrupts this circulation, causing the currents to slow down,” USGS research oceanographer and study co-author Kara Doran explained.
“When the Gulf Stream current weakens, sea levels rise along the coast and the greatest amount of rise happens north of where the Gulf Stream leaves the coast (near Cape Hatteras).”
The hotspot stretches from Cape Hatteras, Northern Carolina to north of Boston, Massachusetts and also includes other big cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore.
“Extreme water levels that happen during winter or tropical storms, perhaps once or twice a year, may happen more frequently as sea level rise is added to storm surge,” Doran told AFP.
“Scientists predict that this will lead to increased beach erosion and more frequent coastal flooding.”
Another study has shown a one-metre sea level rise to increase New York’s severe flooding risk from one incident every century to one every three years.
The USGS report was based on actual tide level measurements, said Doran. Other studies have shown a similar hotspot using climate models.
In a 2007 assessment report, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said global warming would cause the sea level to rise by up to 59 centimetres by century’s end.
Even this relatively modest projection would render several island nations unlivable and wreak havoc in low-lying deltas home to hundreds of millions.
But reports since then have said that melting Arctic ice plays a greater role in sea level rise than previously suspected, and most climate change scientists now project the ocean will rise roughly a metre by century’s end.
Climate warming causes sea levels to rise by melting land-ice and through the thermal expansion of water.
In a separate study in Nature Climate Change, European scientists said a 1.5-degree-Celsius rise in global temperatures would see sea levels peak at about 1.5 metres above 2000 levels.
But warming of two degrees would result in sea levels reaching 2.7 metres — nearly double.
The UN is targeting a 2 C (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) limit on warming from pre-industrial levels for manageable climate change.
“Due to the long time it takes for the world’s ice and water masses to react to global warming, our emissions today determine sea levels for centuries to come,” said lead author Michiel Schaeffer of Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Source: news.malaysia.msn.com/top-stories/rising-sea-level-puts-us-atlantic-coast-at-risk-report-2
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Due to higher temperatures worsening many types of disasters, including storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts seem to be happening around the world. A warmer climate creates an atmosphere that can collect, retain, and drop more water, changing weather patterns in such a way that wet areas become wetter and dry areas drier.
Partly all these are cause by human factor, clearing of land, jungles and so forth for development without proper planning and thought of the consequences of it.. Thousands of people were affected and properties destroyed as you can see from news world wide.
Scientists are seeing growing rates of increased climate change and having a huge impact on human and the environment We are seeing increasing number of droughts, intense storms, floods and violent surges of hurricanes that are all concerning reasons to understand how climate change can effect so on planet earth.
Do hope the authorities are doing more to counter these problems for future generations to come.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
Many of us do not realise that we humans are the actual cause for global warming, due to our greed and arrogance, we put ourselves and even the future generations at risk. When disaster strikes, we put the blame on mother nature, but we never seem to acknowledge the actual factor that causes the catastrophe to happen, which is us, our selfishness and greediness.
We often think too highly of ourselves and that we are the smartest, we should override the authority of mother nature, build and do whatever we want. I personally do not think humans as imperials, we did not so called “own” the earth or nature therefore we should respect the mother of this earth and not cause any further disruptions. If we do not take the necessary actions now, it might be too late when things actually get worse.
Personally, I do not think that many around us are aware of what is happening. They would also ignore the fact of that. They think that with the increasing sea level it does not affect us at all. Although they are aware that with the increasing sea level, it would affect those in the future. However, to them they think that it is okay because by that time they would be dead. They are just selfish to think this way, not giving any thought that what would happen in the future if we do not start preserving Mother Earth now.
Dear Rinpoche, global warming was caused by humanity. Because people started to build buildings, throw rubbishes and cut down trees, I believe these 3 activities are the 3 main reasons for global warming. And because of that the Greenland Ice Sheet started to melt. If we kept on destroying Earth in this way then we will face Armageddon.
It is really scary with all the global warming issues that we are reading each day yet not many understand the urgency to do their part. Many just take things for granted. We may think that its ok coz we wont be around anymore to suffer it but what about future generations? Its really selfish and ignorant not to care. We should push ourselves to contribute in any way we can. How can we ignore and fold our hands?
I really hope that there will be more recycling activities and awareness so that we can educate each other and help the earth.
I think many people don’t realize this but it is our human greed that is fueling our massive and industrial consumption of raw materials. Our greed is the one that is causing massive destruction of our environment. In this day of advance production of food materials, we are able to live on vegetarian food but why don’t we?
We are attached and used to eating meat and so we turn a blind eye to the massive killing of animals to feed our appetite and attachment. There’s massive awareness of environmental issues but very little is done to implement drastic changes that will keep our planetary resources sustainable. Everything is interdependently linked and so, whatever we take from mother earth, something’s gotta give. Drastic and erratic environmental change and natural disasters.
I hope we all wont be drowning anytime soon. But global warming is a serious issue we all should take consideration about this phenomenon. Eating less meat can reduce green house emissions lets cut down first if we cannot go cold turkey!
Global warming is a serious issue that every country needs to be pay attention and be aware. Rising temperatures can melt the ice faster to increase the sea level. Also, the higher temperature in the ocean will affect all the marines lives. That will affect their living cycles. As a result, they will die a lot faster. So, controlling global warming problems will help to prevent the disaster that will kill countless lives.
These are all figures collated from all scientific measurements and observations, and it is giving all a clear message: Mother nature is not happy with all the destructions we humans are causing to planet earth. When disaster strike, we call it an act of God. I believe humans created it as lead author Michiel Schaeffer said, our doings to the environment today determine sea levels for future.
Global warming is the culprit of emerging water levels and floods. We should assume responsibility to preserve Mother Earth for many generations to come.
This is so scary, lots of people will be homeless, and herd of animals could died in second!
We (the human) are responsible for all this, we harm the environment, take everything for granted without care, the nature will strike back stronger.
Its now the time we love and protect the nature, stop harming and killing, go vegetarian to save the earth!
When we said stop global warming, we GO VEGETARIAN!
The current state in many countries were caused by human greed. In our reckless and zealous quest to develop our country, we have destroyed mother nature by not taking steps to preserve the environment. Pollution from industrial wastes have also contributed many toxic materials into our environment. Rampant felling of trees in the forest for its timber have caused many animals to loose their natural habitat. Global warming, floods, land slides, earthquakes are common these days. Our future generations will not have a safe and clean environment to live in. So too will the animals whereby some are already facing extinction. We have to start to save the earth before its too late and every citizen needs to be educated on this.
Global warming has been moving in direction nonstop. The technological advanced society empowers one man who can create massive effects on his surrounding compare to centuries ago. If a single person has this amount of power, times the number of us who are using technology today we do create massive negative effects on environments. On another hand think of the power as individual we can create to change in others by using technology.
Human will only realised when disaster came,just like 2004 Tsunami, 2011 Japan Earthquake..when time pass by we forget already until next event come.. we still ignorance , stop the negative actions, save our earth before too late!
It is all happening around us and very few of us have not experienced its negative consequences one way or another -global warming, ozone hole, seasonal reversals, deserting ,tsunamis, solar flares etc. Unless we realize the interconnectedness of all things, we will continue to destroy this planet . Scientists had warned us about the Butterfly effect which stated that a butterfly fluttering its wings in China can trigger an effect in another country on the other side of the planet.However from Buddhist view the true culprit is our selfishness and this is the reason why we engage in practices to overcome this harmful mind which can lead to the end of the world.
Global warming, is the result of human’s fault and selfishness…! Everyone is destroying the world everyday,including me, but never think of saving the earth instead. It is very sad to see people still not practising the GO GREEN campaign even the awareness is there.
What i think is people somehow are too lazy, They are lazy to separate the garbage and even there is a recycle garbage bins, they are lazy to even read what to throw in each bins and just dump the garbage whichever bin they like!! I have seen that many times.
Many reasons that causes Global warming. Air con, electricity, cars, and many many more. Even the wastage of food is harming the earth!!! But if we are aware to do our part, each of us do a little bit less to harm the earth, for example, cut down a little on electricity usage, finish up all your food, car pool if we can. If everyone put a little effort to save the earth, it will be a big help for the mother nature.
I hate people always said that, ” Is ok, only me who do it will not help much so why bother.” but they never think that we can really help alot!!
Thanks RInpoche for the post, and i really hope all of us take the responsibility to save the earth.
Yes, what have been alleged as some of the causes to such calamity arising, are due to spirituality degeneration in today’s age may apply. This is also in addition to all ecological changes in today’s world, such as:- (a)ocean pollution of toxic waste disposals. (b)Forces of nature caused by global warming, continuous uncontrollable rainfalls and (c) melting icebergs in the polar oceans. It was only last year, that a stunned world watched helplessly in horror at devastation flooding scenes in Japan. Many books, periodicals, videos and audio tapes were produced, while the results of investigations were being disseminated. For most, messages contained of warnings of humanity on the brink of national and global disasters. Despite all that might come, it is spiritually advised that with the constant practices of divine mercy, kindness and prayers, there will still be a chance to preserve the world from degeneration to suffer such disasterious calamities.
Another disaster in making by humankind. Today we still have comfortable place to learn Dharma but we do not practice completely and sincerely. One day we may not even have a proper place to learn Dharma then what will happen? I dare not imagine at all, must be very scary!!!
Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche.
Take good care.
With love,
VP
Environmentalists have been giving warnings to governments, industrialists etc, numerous conferences took place to save the earth , international MOUs signed and so on.
However, we simply don’t change- money, power and fame are far more attractive than clean water,fresh air and green mountains !
Perhaps we will only wake up when we come face to face with THE END OF OUR WORLD.
Karma is a justice for us, what we face now is due to the past Karma. Although we will feel we are stay in beautiful Malaysia but we should be more cheerful after we get involve in Kechara activities. Its not only the stage to let us to collect merits but this is also a stage to let us learn how to increase our bad Karma as well.
I heard from the vcd of Master Qing Yun, all the disaster sure will come due to our past Karma. But we able to delay it with our sincere Dharmic action and try our best to dun hurt our world again.
现在的人都自以为是，以为一直以为以自己的能力，就能控制这个大自然，总以为不管发生什么事，都有能力去解决，以为这个大自然界会去接受人对它所做的一切，其实我们都错了。现在，所有的天灾，人祸都是人们的自以为是所造成的，因为我们的智慧有限，只能看到当下，总以为一切的事情都在自己的掌控之中。那里知道，当事情无法控制时，才来后悔。因果也一样，只要是自己所种的因，知己就的接受随之而来的果，如果接受了这自然界的定律，你就能轻易的到你想要的生活了。
I studied this during my tertiary times, at that time, this more or less remained as pages on my books.
When we are living good lives, we dont believe in these ‘advises’ and ‘warmings’ and we keep doing what is wrong.
And when the damages are done, sometimes they are irreversible or, even when corrections are possible, a lot more efforts are needed to ammend the faults.
We need to be more mindful of our actions and constantly remind ourselves little harms done on gradually can end up to be dangers of mountain-height.
I don’t think anyone has really grasp the effects on our habitat when the world’s water level rises. Apart from ecological changes there is the economic impact. The forced change to property values alone could be devastating. And that is not to mention what will wash up from the sea.
And to think that it is man himself who through ignorance and greed have created the causes for these world catastrophe to come about.
This is an interesting article on the Age of Conflict: http://nstny.org/The_Spread_of_Buddhism/The_Three_Periods_of_Propagation.html
It is said we are in the period of The Latter Day of the Law.
The Three Periods and the Five Five-hundred-year Periods
1.The Former Day of the Law
A.The first five hundred years—the age of enlightenment
B.The second five hundred years—the age of meditation
2.The Middle Day of the Law
A.The third five hundred years—the age of reading, reciting, and listening
B.The fourth five hundred years—the age of building temples and stupas
3.The Latter Day of the Law
A.The fifth five hundred years—the age of conflict
It is said people’s thinking became confused, their lives became poisoned with the unhealthy passions of greed, anger and ignorance, and society in general was filled with chaos and constant quarrels. (Shakyamuni himself had predicted that the Latter Day would be an age of conflict.) Furthermore, natural disasters began to occur with such unnatural frequency that it appeared as though the world were coming to an end. The world was becoming hopelessly corrupt.
What more can we say about this situation. It is not grim but we need to be aware of what is happening to the world we are living in.
Dear May, interesting info. So we are starting into the age of building temples and stupas. How apt! Human consumerism and greed is on the increase, creating more and more production, waste and adverse effect. When will we are learn????