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“Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.”


Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Maybe I should take up SCUBA diving.

Let's hope this scenario is a worst-case type of thing:

The UK could be transformed into a string of separate islands, due to climate change and rapidly rising sea levels, according to research out on Monday.

[snip]

The research is by the UKTV History research team and drawn from University College London's Benfield Hazard Research Centre.

The team spent two months matching rising sea level scenarios against Space Shuttle Topography Mission data of the UK, to produce the first ever detailed maps to show the possible impact of global warming on the shape of the British landscape.

[snip]

The Doomsday scenario is an 84 metre rise. The team point out that this will only happen if we do nothing about carbon gas emissions, leading to a runaway greenhouse effect.

If we ever reach this state, little beyond the hills and mountains making up Wales, Scotland, the South West and the spine of England will remain above the waves.

UKTV History's expert, Professor Bill McGuire said: "It is clearly the West Antarctic Ice Sheet that is the most worrying.

"If this melts, along with the continued thermal expansion of sea-water, we could see London and many other coastal cities disappearing beneath the waves in the next 200 years."

BTW, this is what it might look like if the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melted (click on image for larger version):


Northern Europe


North American East Coast


Souteast Asia

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posted by Tlachtga, 11:10 AM