Five popular tourist destinations will soon disappear from the face of the earth. Some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations are in danger of disappearing entirely by the end of this century if sea levels continue to rise at current rates. A new report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has shown that sea levels should rise by an alarming 25 percent by 2100.
Changes of this magnitude would displace more than 600 million people, according to a study published by Nature Communications in 2019. The same study also showed that as early as 2050, the land on which 300 million people live may begin to flood. Many of the places most at risk are tourist destinations whose economies are heavily dependent on the tourism sector.
Small island developing States such as Fiji, Palau, Seychelles, and the Maldives are the most vulnerable because of their low ground in relation to sea level. While other major tourist sites are unlikely to completely disappear, severe flooding could become common in major cities such as Amsterdam, Tokyo, Cape Town, New York, and many more. A one-meter sea-level rise may seem insignificant, but it will have devastating effects on both people and the economy.
5 Tourist destinations will soon disappear
- Venice, Italy
Venice, known as the “city of water”, is already feeling the effects of climate change and rising sea levels – floods in 2019 will cause damage of around 1 billion euros.
The Italian city was flooded again last June, and scientists predict that the “floating city” will experience severe flooding every five years by 2050 and every five months by 2100.
- The Maldives
The low-lying Maldives is extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels. Much of the landmass in the Maldives is already less than a meter above sea level, meaning the island nation is extremely tide sensitive.
More than three-quarters of the country is projected to be underwater by 2100 at current rates of sea-level rise. This will not only seriously affect the lives of many Maldivians, but will almost certainly hurt the tourism industry, which currently accounts for two-thirds of GDP.
- New York, USA
As sea levels rise, New York is likely to experience more flooding. The city of 2100 will begin to suffer from frequent floods. Sea levels are predicted to rise by 1.8 meters by 2100. Because of this, many people will have to go deep into the city, or even leave the place.
- Hong Kong
Hong Kong is vulnerable to sea-level rise. Around 56 million tourists visit the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong every year. However, by 2100, the coastal city is predicted to face a sea-level rise of 0.6-1.3 meters. The increased likelihood of extreme flooding will be devastating for the 8.4 million people living in low-lying areas. The damage is done to the tourism industry and its world-famous financial district could be catastrophic.
Dubai is in danger of disappearing completely if the sea level rises by 9 meters. A rise of three meters will cause the Emirati city to lose much of its infrastructure. If sea levels rise to nine meters, Dubai could be completely flooded, making it the shortest-lived complex infrastructure in human history.
Similar Articles
