The kaleidoscope of vibrant colours that the Great Barrier Reef is famous for could be set to disappear. Due to global warming, the temperature of the ocean around this majestic coral reef has risen to record levels, which is thought to be responsible for the irreversible bleaching of more than half of its corals since 1995. In March 2022, the Great Barrier Reef entered an unprecedent sixth mass coral bleaching event.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It’s the world's largest coral reef system, covering an enormous 132,974 square miles (344,400sq km), and is home to a diverse array of species from corals and seaweeds to sharks and turtles. Work is ongoing to halt the damage to the reef and to reduce the impact of climate change. Since pre-industrial times, the Earth’s temperature has already risen by around 1°C (1.8°F) and if warming reaches 1.5°C (2.7°F), the UN has alerted that 90% of the world’s coral reefs could die out.
Millions of dollars are being spent on measures aimed at restoring the health of the Great Barrier Reef. These include improving the water quality around the reef and reducing the amount of sediment entering it. Global warming poses the biggest threat, however, and if steps aren't taken to stem this, the damage could continue.
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The iconic Joshua trees are what gives the Joshua Tree National Park in California its name, but these spiky, twisted wonders are dying and global warming is to blame. The cactus-like trees are among the few types that have been able to withstand the desert conditions of the national park. Sadly, as climate change intensifies the heat and dryness, their future is being called into question.
Yet it’s not merely the direct impacts of temperatures rising that are taking a toll. Joshua trees rely on yucca moths to fertilise them, but this species is struggling to survive, which in turn is badly impacting the trees. The saplings with shallow root systems stand little chance of survival now, and even some of the mature trees with their deeper root systems have been killed off.
In 2019, a shocking study revealed that less than 1% of Joshua trees’ habitat would be intact by 2100. Recognising the importance of protecting the 2.5-million year-old species, in October 2020, lawmakers voted to safeguard the trees under California’s Endangered Species Act. The landmark legislation makes them the first species of plant to be defended by state law against climate change.
Encroaching sea water, caused by rising sea levels, has begun to threaten the unique tropical wetlands in the Everglades National Park. It’s recognised by UNESCO for its outstanding biodiversity, home to a variety of ecosystems, from freshwater and saltwater marshes to vast mangrove forests. Yet the ecologically-rich wetlands, which once covered an area of around three million acres, have already reduced in size by more than half.
Lower levels of rainfall could also harm the abundant wildlife living in this unique ecosystem, as well as causing more serious droughts and increasing the chance of wildfires. After discovering that the Everglades' aquatic environment has continued to deteriorate, UNESCO placed the national park on its list of World Heritage in Danger in 2010. It found that it had suffered a significant reduction of marine and estuarine biodiversity.
The Everglades, which provide drinking water to more than eight million people, have suffered man-made interventions since the 19th century, which have unbalanced water flow. To restore the stability of the ecosystem, in 2000 the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) was introduced. One of its main actions involves building a reservoir, which will take in water from Lake Okeechobee and store and treat it before sending it into the park. However, it's not known whether the damage that has already been done can be repaired.
The 1,190 individual islands that make up the Maldives, a tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean, might not be accepting holidaymakers and honeymooners much longer. The world’s lowest-lying country, which is built on a network of coral, could be completely submerged within a few generations. A combination of rising sea levels, higher water temperatures and seawater acidity, which kills coral, puts the islands in grave danger.
Back in 2008, then-president Mohamed Nasheed announced that he was going to buy land for the islanders elsewhere, as at some point the 530,000-strong population could become refugees as a result of climate change. The plans have now been shelved and current president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is looking at measures that could save the islands from the sea.
The government has opted for building new artificial islands through land reclamation, whereby sediment and sand is taken from the seabed. Yet this process is controversial since it can harm coral reefs. The UN’s Green Climate Fund has already approved £17.4 million ($24m) of funding to help the Maldives, however a report by the country’s environment ministry projected that the country would need £6.4 billion ($8.8bn) to protect its islands. It’s unclear where the country will secure extra funding from.
The 17,400-foot-tall (5,300m) Chacaltaya glacier in the Andes was once the world's highest ski slope. Now all that is left of the structure, thought to be about 18,000 years-old, are a few patches of ice near its summit. Global warming is thought to be to blame.
In 1998 a scientist predicted that the glacier, which had been retreating since the 1980s, would completely disappear by 2015. Yet a quickening rate of thaw, accelerated by climate change, meant that the glacier was announced to have officially disappeared in 2009. In fact, it’s thought that the temperature in this area rose by 0.5°C between 1976 and 2006, according to a study by the Stockholm Environment Institute.
The loss of the glacier has been a blow to the tourist industry in Chacaltaya, as well as threatening the local freshwater supply and the future use of hydropower, which provides much of Bolivia's electricity. The entire area was once covered in snow but now Chacaltaya resembles a ghost town.
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The tropical Solomon Islands are a small cluster of coral atolls and volcanic islands situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. At least five of the islands in the archipelago have now been submerged underwater, with ocean levels rising by an average of 0.3 inches (8mm) per year, while the coastlines of many others have receded.
With around half a million people living on the archipelago, the implications of climate change could be devastating. A research paper published in 2016 found that at least six of the Solomon Islands had seen their land mass shrink severely, with two villages having been completely destroyed and their residents having relocated as a result.
As the islands continue to diminish in size, more of the islanders will be forced to relocate to higher points in the territories. There is even the possibility that the 600 inhabitants of the provincial capital of Taro may be forced to move out to escape rising waters.
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The Alps is easily one of the best-known ski destinations on the planet – but it might not be for much longer, if the rapid pace at which its glaciers are melting is anything to go by. Lying in the Hohe Tauern mountain range in the Austrian Alps, the five-mile-long (8km) Pasterze Glacier, shown here, is losing around 16 feet (5m) of ice thickness a year. The temperature increases that are causing Austria's largest glacier to melt are thought to be largely down to global warming.
The temperature of the Alps has reportedly risen by just under 2°C (3.6°F) over the past 120 years and it is predicted that the area could experience a rise in average annual temperatures of a further 2°C over the next few decades. A lot of glaciers have already shrunk dramatically and, by the end of the century, many could disappear altogether.
In fact, in a worst-case scenario the region could be mostly ice-free by 2100. As well as proving devastating for the tourism industry, the thawing of glaciers would badly affect water supply in surrounding areas, which is essential for farming and hydroelectric power. Scientists have stated that cutting emissions is the only way to limit these impacts.
The Great Salt Lake in Utah has reportedly seen its volume drop by nearly half since the mid-19th century. While climate change is undoubtedly a factor, in 2017 scientists found that another element might be to blame too. People have been diverting an estimated 726 billion gallons (3.3 trillion litres) of water each year from the streams that flow into it, using it to supply drinking water.
The saltwater lake provides an important ecosystem for a range of plant and animal species, yet decreasing water levels are having a knock-on effect. There is now significantly less food available for the birds, insects and animals who feed from the lake. Its decline could have huge economic implications too: Utah’s environmental authorities have predicted that economic losses related to the ecosystem’s collapse could total between £1.2 billion and £1.6 billion ($1.7bn and $2.2bn) a year.
Steps could be taken to encourage local residents to reduce their water consumption but as the area's population is growing, these moves are not expected to have a major impact. Add the common periods of drought into the mix, and restoring the Great Salt Lake's water levels becomes even more problematic.
Unlike many of the other ecosystems in our round-up, the Sahara desert isn’t at risk of disappearing – rather, the fact it’s growing is a climate concern. As a result of reduced rainfall levels, the Sahara Desert has increased in size by around 10% in the last century. While natural changes in rainfall cycles were responsible for around two-thirds of that expansion, human-caused climate change was responsible for around one-third of growth, according to a study published in 2018.
The expansion of desert, known as desertification, has caused the semi-arid Sahel region south of the Sahara to recede, spelling bad news for the fragile grasslands and the people and wildlife that rely on them. It’s not just a problem in the Sahara. All over the world, some 46,332 square miles (120,000sq km) of land are lost to desertification each year, which creates huge economic losses as the land can no longer be used for farming, livestock grazing or tourism.
In an attempt to stem desertification, more than 20 countries across the Sahel are creating a giant, living structure called the Great Green Wall. As well as planting trees, the scheme involves introducing sustainable practices for managing land, enhancing soil quality and improving water retention. The living wall is currently around 15% complete but when it’s finished, it’s expected to be three times the size of the Great Barrier Reef.
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With the ice cap diminishing at such an alarming rate, experts predict it could be gone by 2033, which could be devastating for locals living at the base of the mountain who rely on the glacier for fresh water. Yet this isn’t the only problem plaguing Kilimanjaro. In October 2020, an enormous wildfire broke out near the mountain and destroyed 11 square miles (28sq km) of forest. While wildfires are common in the dry season, one as large as this threatens to permanently harm vegetation and throw the mountain's water balance into chaos.
To protect the historically rich area from erosion, officials have built a sea wall using part of a £292,000 ($400k) grant from the Japanese government. Whether these will prove effective is yet to be seen. The island’s tourism industry, which is the backbone of its economy and directly or indirectly supports most of its 6,000 residents, hangs in the balance.
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It’s not just the direct impact of a warming climate that is taking its toll. Wildfires, which are a natural occurrence here, have been extremely strong in recent years and have caused long-lasting damage to the surrounding ecosystem. It’s estimated that the area of land burned by wildfires in western America has doubled since the 1980s while the fires have also increased in size, frequency and intensity.
Rising temperatures have also meant rain is beginning to replace snow in the winter, which means glaciers are beginning to melt earlier in the season. Since the ice sheets provide essential freshwater to those living nearby, as well as generating power as meltwater passes through hydroelectric dams, their disappearance presents significant challenges for the future.
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Famous for its ultra-salty waters, which contain almost 10 times as much salt as normal seawater and allow bathers to float on its surface, the Dead Sea is under threat. While the salt lake, bordered by Israel and Jordan, is already 'dead' in certain ways – it doesn’t support any form of marine life except for microorganisms and algae – it’s disappearing at an alarming rate.
The water level of the Dead Sea is said to be dropping by approximately three feet (1m) each year, which is causing sinkholes to appear. There are currently roughly 7,000 sinkholes there, which are proven to be linked to man-made dams, and this number is set to double in the next few years. About 50 years ago the Dead Sea covered around 386 square miles (1,000sq km), a level that had been largely constant since records began in the early 18th century. It has now shrunk to around 259 square miles (670sq km).
Human activity is to blame for the depleting water levels. From the 1960s onwards, Israel and Jordan started to divert the River Jordan’s flow, and as a result the Dead Sea level dropped. In 2015, the two countries committed £6.5 million ($9m) to stabilising its water levels. Only time will tell if the Dead Sea can be restored.
Venice, the ancient Italian city where waterways exist in place of roads, has always been susceptible to flooding. A few times a year, acqua alta, or high water, occurs when high tides coincide with strong winds, often causing flooding. With global warming making sea levels rise, the regular flooding is only likely to worsen. To add to its woes the city is also literally sinking into its foundations by up to 0.04 inches (1mm) a year.
In November 2019, Venice experienced its worst flooding for over half a century, as water levels reached 6.1 feet (1.8m) at its peak, causing 80% of the city to flood. St Mark's Square (pictured) was off-limits, as residents and tourists waded through the streets, schools closed for a number of days and the government declared a state of emergency. High tides, worsened by sirocco winds blowing from Africa, caused damage to buildings and killed two people. One of the world's most famous cathedrals, St Mark’s Basilica was under nearly five feet (1.5m) of water and suffered damage totalling £4.3 million ($5.5m).
Sadly, it's not the only example of flooding in the past decade. In May 2019, unusually high tides forced street closures, while in October 2018, the city saw a particularly horrific storm which plunged three-quarters of Venice underwater, with levels reaching five feet (1.56m). Areas in north and west Italy also experienced flooding and heavy winds, and 11 people were killed. October 2012 saw more than 70% of the city underwater and the levels rose up to nearly five feet (1.5m) above sea level.
There’s further hope on the horizon, however. When Italy was in lockdown in March 2020, the reduction in boats travelling through Venice's waterways meant they became so clear, sea creatures including dolphins and octopus could be seen. Also, on 10 July 2020, the MOSE (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico) flood barrier was tested for the first time, after years of delays and setbacks. A feat of engineering, the one-mile (1.5km) powerful series of floodgates covers the inlets to the lagoon, protecting Venice from any imminent flooding. It’s due to be completed in 2023.
When the stonking big Hoover Dam was constructed between 1931 and 1936, it was dubbed 'the greatest dam in the world'. Standing tall in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River on the Arizona/Nevada border, the National Historic Landmark protects southern California and Arizona from the disastrous floods for which the Colorado had been famous. Below it gushes the largest reservoir in the US, Lake Mead. It too has an important role to play – providing 25 million people with water. However, while the reservoir has been plagued by climate change for years, it's just hit an all-time low (quite literally)...
A whopping 95% of the American West was some form of severe drought in July 2021 and Lake Mead recorded its lowest water level in May 2022 since it was first filled in the 1930s. According to data from the US Bureau of Reclamation, the lake – formed by the famous Hoover Dam – is only around 27% full. If water levels continue to drop (which is, sadly, inevitable), experts say it may never be full again, and could drop a further 20 feet (6m) in the next two years.
The decline is so severe that federal officials declared a 'Level 1 Shortage Condition' for Lake Mead (pictured) on Monday, 16 August 2021. It means there will be cuts to water supplies, which will start in January 2022, with farmers expecting deliveries to be slashed. Millions rely on Lake Mead for their water supply not just in Arizona and Nevada, but California and Mexico too.
Historic Jamestowne, the site of the first successful English colony in the US, is a remarkable piece of history. The first capital of the Virginia colony, it was established in 1607, when settlers landed on Jamestown Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Today, the historic site is threatened by rising sea levels due to climate change. Already more frequent rainstorms flood the site regularly and researchers do everything to combat the rising waters, including sandbagging the excavation sites. However, it's a battle against time and many believe that the historic site will be lost to nature sooner or later.
Today, rising sea levels, storms and recurrent flooding threaten the historic site like never before, compromising the fragile island and its cultural and historic resources, which has prompted the National Trust for Historic Preservation to place Historic Jamestowne on its most endangered historic places list for 2022. Future engineering projects are promising to help the site combat the extreme weather events, but the organisation is in desperate need of funding to implement these solutions.
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