Climate Change
The bomb ticks away
An artist's view of Eath in the firmament
Sea level is rising faster and faster. About 70% of the world's population live on coastal plains; 11 of the 15 biggest cities stand on a coastline or river estuary. As the seas rise, salt will invade the water table depriving inhabitants of drinking water. The Himalayan glaciers are the source of all the great Asian rivers, the Indus, Ganges, Mekong and Yangtze Kiang; 2 billion people depend on them for drinking water and to irrigate theirs crops, as in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is directly affected by the phenomena occurring in the Himalayas and at sea levels. This is one of the most populous and poorest countries in the world; it is already hit by global warming. The combined impact of increasingly dramatic floods and hurricanes could make a third of its land mass disappear. In 1988 and later the city of Dhaka was under water, there were boats on the roads. When populations are subjected to these devastating phenomena they eventually move away. Around the North Pole the ice cap has lost 30% of its surface area in 30 years. Greenland is getting warmer rapidly and fresh water of the whole continent is flowing toward the sea increasing the sea level and saline water. Greenland's ice contain 20% of fresh water, if it melts sea level will rise by nearly 7 metres. As the fresh water of the Greenland's ice sheet gradually seeps into the salt water of the oceans low- lying lands around the globe are threatened. In the atmosphere, major wind streams are changing direction, rain cycles are altered; the geography of climates is modified. Some experts claim that we have less than 10 years to change our patterns of consumption and reverse the trend before the damage is irreversible. Unless we act quickly, we risk losing the only home we may ever have. Now, both developed and developing nations should act in a concerted manner to make up the loss for our common survival.
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