# Presentation: 658009

## Session 10: 

- This session will introduce the basic natural processes and potential impacts of the natural hazard of sea level rise.

**Session 10: **
**Sea Level Rise**

- (Source: UN Atlas of the Oceans)

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

**Slide 10. 1, Lecture Outline**

## Introduction: Sea Level Rise in the Coastal Zone

**Slide 10. ****, Introduction**

- Coastal Hazards can be defined as natural hazards that occur within the coastal zone. The hazards discussed in Sessions 6 through 10 can happen in the coastal zone, but occur in other locations as well.
- The following natural hazard will be discussed in this session:
-   Sea level rise

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

- (Source: NASA)

- (Source: www.globalchange.umich.edu/)

## What is Sea Level Rise? 

- What is Sea Level Rise?

**Slide 10. ****, Sea Level Rise Definition**

- Sea Level Rise is defined as a mean rise in sea level

- (Source:http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/~tk/climate_dynamics/climate_impact_webpage.html)

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

## Climate Change in Geologic Time 

- Climate Change in Geologic Time

**Slide 10. ****, Geologic Time**

- (Source: _[http://www.scotese.com/climate.htm](http://www.scotese.com/climate.htm)_** **)

- Geologic Time Divisions

- Pangaea

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

- Change in Plant Distributions Over Time

- (Source: NASA)

- (Source:_[http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/G/GeoEras.html](http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/G/GeoEras.html)_** ** )

## Climate Change in the Past 1,000 Years 

- Climate Change in the Past 1,000 Years

**Slide 10. ****, Past 1,000 Years**

- In the past 1,000 years, there has been significant variation in the Earth’s temperature, with corresponding climate responses

- (Source:_[http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/global/climchng.html](http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/global/climchng.html)_** **)

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

- Short term climate changes could be due to:
-  Solar irradiance
-  Sun spot activity
-  Dust in the atmosphere
-  Human induced changes

- (Source: http://doctorgrooveband.com/sun-spots.gif)

## Global Warming Processes 

- Global Warming Processes

**Slide 10. ****, Global Warming Processes**

- (Source:http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/climate/GCclimate1.html)

- (Source:http://library.thinkquest.org/C005137F/automobile_traffic_pollution.jpg)

-   This process can lead to an increase in global temperature when greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere
-  An increase in global temperature can result in sea level rise due to the melting of glaciers

- The Greenhouse Effect is a process that makes the Earth inhabitable

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

- (Source: NASA)

## Sea Level Rise Predictions

**Slide 10. ****, Predictions**

- (Source: http://www.ghgonline.org/predictions.htm)

- Sea level rise predictions are complex and are based on multiple scenarios of global temperature change and greenhouse gas emission

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

## Uncertainties of Predictions

**Slide 10. ****, Uncertainties**

- (Source: USGS)

- (Source:http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/global/greenhou.html)

- There are many global processes to account for in predicting climate change, plus a large amount of “noise” in the yearly temperature readings. This makes predictions based on short term data very difficult to accomplish with accuracy.

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

- (Source:www.globalchange.si.edu/ images/essay_rsl.gif)

- (Source:http://www.ngo.grida.no/soesa/nsoer/Graphics/national/fig4_9.gif)

## Current Evidence

**Slide 10. ****, Evidence**

- (Source: http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/land/global/greenhou.html)

- Through the variability emerge trends that are more convincing

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

## Potential Impacts on the Natural Environment

**Slide 10. ****, Natural Impacts**

- (Source: USGS)

- Loss of habitat such as coral reefs and wetlands may have significant impacts in the coastal zone

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

- (Source: http://www.usgcrp.gov/)

## Potential Impacts on Humans and the Built Environment 

- Potential Impacts on Humans and the Built Environment

**Slide 10. ****, Human Impacts**

- (Source: http://www.usgcrp.gov/)

- (Source: www.jri.org.uk/brief/ climatechange.htm)

- As coastal populations increase, vulnerability of those populations to sea level rise increases as well.
- 7 million people live below the 1 meter contour line in Bangladesh.

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**

## Class Discussion Questions 

- Class Discussion Questions

**Slide 10. ****, Class Discussion**

-    ** **Where do you stand on global warming? What are your biggest concerns,   		(if any)?
-    What are the mitigation techniques mentioned in the Titus article?
- Which do you think are the best options?
- What are some of the pros and cons associated with each method from environmental, economic, and social viewpoints?
-    What is your impression of the Climate Stewardship Act? Do you think that    	it will pass? Why or why not?
-    What do you think about using the best available data/science to         	make policy decisions?
-    How are the uncertainties about sea level rise similar to those with	hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes? How are they different?
-   How are sea level rise and global warming tied to the frequency and	intensity of other hazards at the coast?

**Session 10: Sea Level Rise**
**Coastal Hazards Management Course**