Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 4.19 Time series of model simulations of Northern Hemisphere permafrost up to 2000 and pre-
dicted permafrost for several different scenarios after 2000. Dark lines are the model ensemble means
and shaded areas show the range of ensemble members. Source: Washington et al. (2009: supplementary
figures).
creasingly vulnerable to sea level rise and variability—as Hurricane Katrina
recently demonstrated in New Orleans. Rising sea levels will contribute to
increased storm surges and flooding, even if hurricane intensities do not in-
crease in response to the warming of the oceans. Rising sea levels will also
contribute to the erosion of the world's sandy beaches, most of which have
been retreating over the past century. Low-lying islands are also vulnerable
to sea level rise. An increase in global temperature will cause sea level rise
and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, which is impor-
tant for the stability of ice sheets. The current increase in precipitation over
Greenland does not offset the ice loss by melt and fast-flowing glaciers.
