Rising sea level puts 14,000 sq.km. land at risk
Kolkata: The Indian peninsula may lose approximately 14,000 square kilometers of land due to the rise of sea level by one meter caused by climate change.According to a report published in the latest issue of Journal of Threatened Taxa, due to marine intrusion into coastal areas of the Indian sub-continent the total area loss is estimated to be approximately 13,973 square kilometers and 60,497 square kilometers of land area under 1 meter and 6 meter sea-level rise scenarios, respectively. The report has been prepared by a group of ecologists under the guidance of a Dr M Zafar-ul Islam. An overview of the potential consequences of 1 meter and 6 meter sea-level rise for coastal conservation areas on the Indian sub-continent is represented by the study.
Mountain glacier melting and discharge from ice sheets as a result of global warming along with thermal expansion of the ocean would cause a significant rise in the Sea level. Numerous coastal conservation areas and coastal eco-regions are predicted to lose more than half of their land areas to marine intrusion, particularly under the rise scenario of 6 meter in sea level.
The report has warned that 18 of the 48 eco-regions in India might be affected by the marine intrusion. Estimates and approximates of eco-region inundation range from 19 per cent to 59 per cent under the 1 meter sea level rise scenario. While estimates of eco-region inundation range from 27-58 per cent under the 6 meter sea-level rise scenario.
The mangrove eco-region of Godavari-Krishna is predicted to lose more than a quarter of its area under the sea level rise scenario of 1 meter, while the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sundarbans situated in West Bengal is predicted to lose more than half of its area.
At the same time under the sea level rise scenario of 6 meter, the eco-regions of Andaman Islands rain forests, Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests and Maldives Lakshadweep-Chagos Archipelago tropical moist forest) are predicted to lose more than a quarter of their land areas. Additionally, Sundarbans mangroves and Rann of Kutch seasonal salt marsh are also predicted to lose more than half of their land area.
Above 50 per cent inundation under 1 meter sea level rise is expected to be experienced by the seven protected areas — Bhitarkanika, Chilka Lake, Interview Island, Lothian Island, Point Calimere, Pulicat Lake and Sajnakhali. Moreover, the four protected areas of Kachchh Desert, Nal Sarovar, Pulicat and Velavadar — join this list under the 6 meter sea level rise scenario. Nine out of the 22 coastal conservation areas would be spared from the effects of marine intrusion under the sea level rise scenario of 1 meter, while only one would be spared under thesea level rise scenario of 6 meter.
Numerous species of flora and fauna, including species which are globally threatened, depend upon the low-lying coastal eco-systems for their survival. Hundreds of important biodiversity areas, particularly including protected and non-protected IBAs (Important Bird Areas) in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, have already been stressed by numerous anthropogenic impacts as well as by invasive species.
