What happened in Japan will happen to Somalia

[Mad_Mullah]

Nairobi (kilil5)--Even a small rise in the world's sea levels, predicted as a result of global warming, could submerge most of Somalia's coastal towns according to the world bank report. The towns most at risk of going under water are mogadishu,Bosaso, Kismayo,and most of all somalia's small towns along the coast. According to the world banks economist, this will create unparallel number of environmental refugees not only in Somalia, but, a number of third world countries.

 

Most experts are predicting that global warming caused by green house gases emited by industrial countries,will have significant impact to third world countires such as Somalia. The horn of Africa already feels the impact of global warming as the region already experiences frequent droughts, and unpredictable weather as the recently floods, which killed more than 500 people showed.

 

The unexpected quick melting of the arctic ice has alarmed scientis. In East Africa, the melting of old century ice in mount kilimanjaro and mount kenya, has significantly affected already wildlife and climate patterns in kenya and Uganda.

 

However,it is the rise of Sea level as a result of arctic ice melting and the increased temperature of the world, that will have significant, life altering experience in many coastal towns in the world, more so in poor countries such as Somalia. Many of the rich countries are prepared to deal with global warming better than third world countries which are totally not prepared for it. In the United States and in Europe, towns that could potentially

be affected by rising sea levels are already planning for it.

 

According to experts, a one metre rise in the sea level, as forecast in some scientific models, most of Somalia's towns could potentially be lost to the Sea. This is alarming given that half of Somalia's population, lives in big cities bordering the coast. According to the prediction, Mogadishu, the biggest city with a sixth of the country's population, will be lost to the sea.

 

"Knowing which countries will be most affected could allow better targeting of scarce available resources and could spur vulnerable nations to develop national adaptation plans now and avoid big losses later," Dasgupta said.

 

Adaptation plans include heading for higher ground and building dams to keep the water out.

 

She cited a Feb. 2 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a consensus document crafted by hundreds of scientists and policy makers, which said sea levels will keep rising for centuries even if greenhouse gas concentrations -- blamed for spurring global warming --were stabilized now.

 

She also noted that global average sea levels rose more rapidly from 1993 to 2003 than they did from 1961 through 2003, which was faster than climate models projected. By 2100, Dasgupta said, sea levels are projected to rise 1.6 feet to 4.6 feet (0.5 metre to 1.4 metre) above 1990 levels.

 

With every additional 39 inch (1 metre) rise in sea level, consequences for specific areas can be calculated, she said. Here are some of the prediction for other parts of the world according to the report:

 

-- A a 6.6 foot (2 metre) rise would inundate 22 percent of Mexico's wetlands.

 

-- A 9.8 foot (3 metre) rise would hit 17 percent of Mauritania's gross domestic product.

 

-- A 13 foot (4 metre) rise would submerge 35 percent of Vietnam's urban areas.

 

-- a 16.4 foot (5 metre) rise would force 16.7 million people in Bangladesh to become refugees.

 

The loss of the Greenland ice sheet alone would raise sea level by nearly 23 feet (7 metres), Dasgupta's report said