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Climate Change : Sea Levels

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Sea-level rise is one of the most significant effects of climate change. As global temperatures rise, ice in the polar-regions will continue to melt, dumping tons of additional water into the ocean. Warmer water temperatures will also lead the oceans to expand high projected rates of future sea-level rise. “These factors will cause sea levels to increase and swamp coastal areas all over the world” (Oceans and Sea Level Rise). Particularly, countries which are located in low-lying areas as well as islands, are concerned that their land areas would be decreased due to inundation and coastal erosion and, at worst, a large proportion of their population may be forced to migrate to other countries. Although flooding is an obvious consequence of rising sea levels, there are numerous other effects to consider. The current rising sea levels due to global warming are effecting the environment in a number of ways. (Oceans and Sea Level Rise)
“As the rising sea crawls farther up the shore, in many places it will seep into the freshwater sources in the ground that many coastal areas rely on for their drinking water” (Harvey) These underground water aquifers are crucial sources of freshwater. In fact, groundwater accounts for most of the planet 's freshwater. Once the saltwater contaminates the fresh water it is unsafe to drink. (Harvey) “While it is possible to remove the salt from water, doing so is an expensive and complicated process” (Talbot). Desalination projects in India, Saudi

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