As experts warn, the climate change It is responsible for the fact that the sea level keeps rising. Moreover, it does so at an ever-increasing speed, leading to flood forecasts in some cities getting closer to reality. In Spain, three cities are at serious risk of disappearing if the sea level continues to rise.
Why raise sea levels?
Scientists explain the two main factors that explain sea level rise. On the one hand, CO2 emissions, which have increased exponentially in recent decadesespecially in industrialized countries. And, on the other hand, the melting of the polar caps.
Recently, ‘Nature’ magazine published an article stating that theGreenland’s glaciers are melting much faster than previously thought. For its part, Antarctica loses 151 billion tons of ice each year, according to NASA’s Grace Follow-On satellite.
Sea level rise has been occurring since the beginning of the 20th century.and it is estimated to have increased between 16 and 21 centimeters from 1900 to 2016. The problem scientists are warning about is that predictions that were made just a few years ago are of little use now, because the process is accelerating at an alarming rate.
The acceleration of the melting process of the Greenland ice sheets is the main factor behind the increase in the rate of sea level rise. One of the first victims of this situation will be Venice. And it is that, in addition to the rise in sea level, the Italian city is sinking by 0.2 centimeters per year.
As for Spain, there will be three cities affected by the rise in sea level. Over the next eight decades, Santa Cruz de Tenerife will experience a rise of approximately 81 centimeters. It will be the highest in the national territory.
they will follow Cádiz and Barcelona, where sea levels will rise by 75 centimeters by the end of the 21st century, respectively. Moreover, it is estimated that the beaches of Barcelona will lose between 6 and 10 meters of sand every year.
To this, we must add that certain natural spaces, such as the Doñana National Park or the Ebro Deltathey are also at risk of flooding and subsidence if the sea level rises even a meter.