Report: The Mediterranean, one of the most polluted areas in the world. Erosion will erode up to 23 meters of coastline
2024-11-19 13:06:45
TiranaPost
New SOS for the Mediterranean at the UN climate conference taking place in Baku. On Monday, scientists from MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change) published a new report on coastal risks. The prospects are a nightmare. In the region, the alarming increase of 1.5°C compared to the pre-industrial era was already reached in 2020 and by the end of the century it could reach even 2.9°C, in the worst case scenario.
What worries experts most, however, is the rate at which sea levels are rising: about 2.8 mm a year, twice the 20th century average. The trend is expected to continue at a pace that will depend on future greenhouse gas emissions. By the end of the century, sea levels could rise by more than a meter, resulting in increased coastal flooding.
"The relative rise in sea level has already increased the frequency of flooding in the historic center of Venice," the report confirms.
"Both the beaches of the north-east and the small beaches of southern Italy are at high risk of erosion and may disappear."
Equally alarming is the rate of coastal erosion, which will fluctuate between 17.5 and 23 meters by 2050 and even between 40 and 60 meters by the end of the century.
A separate chapter deals with waste in the sea. "The Mediterranean Sea is one of the most plastic-polluted areas in the world," the report says. "Floating plastic accumulates along its shores due to human activities and marine traffic."
