A new report by Greenpeace shows that over 2,000 square kilometers of land in Taiwan will become flood risks if carbon emissions go unregulated.
If something isn’t done about global carbon emissions, over 2,000 square kilometers of land in Taiwan will become flood risks by 2050. That’s the latest from a report conducted by environmental NGO Greenpeace. Carbon emissions are responsible for global warming which cause ice sheets to melt into the ocean, in turn, prompting sea levels to rise.
Taiwan will become more susceptible to storm surges wrought on by typhoons because of rising sea levels.
Greenpeace says that, currently, global sea levels are rising by about 1.9 millimeters a year. If trends continue, then sea levels in Taiwan will rise by .56 meters by 2050. Under that circumstance, sea levels may rise by as much as 1.62 meters during storm surges. This would negatively impact densely populated areas.
The rise in sea levels poses a safety threat to people living in all six of Taiwan’s major municipalities. 750,000 inhabitants in New Taipei City, alone, would be affected.
Greenpeace is calling on all local governments to evaluate how climate change will affect their areas, and make adjustments as needed. It says that climate change is already a huge threat and immediate response is necessary.