How Climate Change Impact People’s life in Coastal Cities

Impact of Climate Change on People’s Life in Coastal Cities Student’s Name Institution Course Number and Name Instructor’s Name Date Impact of Climate Change on People’s Life in Coastal Cities Climate change presents one of the major challenges to humanity. Given the significant impact of climate change on the rise of sea levels, coastal cities are impacted the most in terms of health, water infrastructure, economy, food security, and agriculture, among others. While the impacts of climate change are felt today, future generations are bound to be impacted more. As informed by Mimura (2013), rising sea levels in the future will have devastating impacts on various parts of the world. Low-lying countries and islands are most likely to experience migration of people to other countries as a result of rising sea levels. After presenting an overview of climate change's impact on coastal cities, this paper examines the effect of climate change on water infrastructure, health, health’s social determinants, and homelessness. Finally, the paper examines potential solutions to address climate change's impact on coastal cities. Overview of Climate Change Impact on Coastal Cities The key factors that have contributed to recent changes in sea levels, according to Mimura (2013), include sea water's thermal expansion and melting of land-based ice. As the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere increases, it causes a rise in air temperature, and the resulting heat is transferred to the ocean. According to Mimura (2013), for the past forty years, the ocean has absorbed 90% of the heat absorbed by the planet due to the higher heat capacity of the ocean compared to the atmosphere. An increase in the ocean's heat content is a key indicator of global warming. The heating of the oceans thus results in thermal expansion, causing a rise in sea levels. The melting of the West Antarctica Ice Sheet (WAIS) and Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) are also key contributors to the rising sea levels. These ice sheets have recently experienced an acceleration of outflows as a result of melting, and if it continues, it can have a significant impact on the sea levels (Mimura, 2013). In essence, as temperatures rise, so does the potential for more ice sheets melting and seawater thermal expansion. It is projected that global temperatures will rise by 1.1–6.4 °C by 2100, which could have devastating effects on the Arctic and large continents’ midlands (Mimura, 2013). Furthermore, Bloetscher et al. (2016) point out that by 2100, the mean sea level is projected to rise by one meter, which will significantly affect lives in coastal cities. Rising sea levels can have devastating consequences for populations residing in coastal cities. Wade (2022) states that rising sea levels intensify hazards such as storm surges, coastal flooding, and erosion. Mimura (2013) indicates that the rise in sea level can result in the destruction of coastal ecosystems, saltwater intrusion into aquifers and estuaries, and changes in sediment disposition. Furthermore, in the long term, it contributes to sea encroachment into low-lying lands (Wade, 2022). This can have serious consequences for the lives of people in coastal cities, as can be seen in the section below. Impact on People’s Lives Damage to Coastal Water Infrastructure Water infrastructure that includes treatment facilities, reservoirs, pipelines, and dams provides access to water for coastal people, which is important in sustaining life. However, climate change threatens to disrupt water infrastructure in coastal cities, which can destroy livelihoods to a great extent. Due to weather-related disasters such as storm surges, extreme rainfall, flooding, and cyclones, life in coastal cities is bound to undergo changes as global temperatures rise. Severe weather events can result in damage to water infrastructure, which can consequently cause sewage overflow, loss of running water, closure of health facilities, and loss of potable water (Allen et al., 2018). In addition, if a coastal city experiences extreme weather events, it can take a long time to recover. Wastewater systems are integral in maintaining the health and sanitation of society. An article by Hughes et al. (2020) describes how climate change can impact wastewater systems in coastal cities. It is important to recognize that the effect of climate change can range from extreme rainfall and reduced rainfall, sea-level rise, and rising temperatures to increased wind velocities (Hughes et al., 2020). With extreme rainfall, wastewater systems can be prone to blockages, overflows, and breakages. Wind can also damage power lines, resulting in the inability of pressurized systems to work properly in conveying wastewater. In addition, rises in sea levels and storm surges can damage pipelines (Hughes et al., 2020). There is also the risk of groundwater infiltrating into wastewater systems, contributing to corrosion and affecting conveyance capacities. In sum, the damage to water infrastructures in coastal cities can result in unwelcome consequences to the environment, culture, and economy of coastal cities. Spills and odor from damage to wastewater systems can disrupt business operations and life activities. During cleanup, roads and businesses may be closed. There is also a threat to public health; as water quality reduces, the risk of diseases increases. Hughes et al. (2020) point out that damage to wastewater systems can destroy cultural values. For example, among the Maori people, places associated with human waste are considered spiritually dangerous (Hughes et al., 2020). Therefore, damage to water infrastructure can be devastating for people living in coastal cities. Impact on Health Health is the most impacted facet of life due to climate change. As sea levels rise, one consequence is an increased risk of physical injury and mortality (Wade, 2022). As roads, buildings, and other infrastructure are destroyed due to storm surges, erosion, and flooding, the risk of physical injury and death increases (Wade, 2022). In this case, the risk of drowning is elevated due to adverse weather events attributed to climate change. According to Sindall et al. (2022), tropical cyclones and floods result in significant deaths due to flooding. Given that climate change has the potential to increase the frequency of these extreme weather events, people living in coastal cities face an increased risk of drowning as time goes on. In additio...