The document discusses the impacts of sea level rise, including its effects on coastal communities and islands. Key points include: - Sea level rise has increased 50% faster than previous models projected and threatens 130 million people living within 1 meter of coastlines. - Impacts include erosion, flooding, damage to infrastructure like ports, loss of beaches and wetlands, and risks to human settlements and tourism. Low-lying islands and river deltas are particularly vulnerable. - Sea level rise is caused by thermal expansion as the oceans warm and melting of ice sheets and glaciers. It exacerbates issues like coastal modification and coral bleaching. - The Carteret Islands of Papua New Guinea illustrate the challenges with a

1. National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, Washington DC Rolph Payet

3. www.sealevelrise.blogspot.com

6. Melting Ice Thermal Expansion Coral Bleaching Coastal modification Coastal Erosion Beach Loss Turtle nesting Water aquifers Human Settlement Infrastructure Port facilities Tourism Soil Salinisation Agriculture Wetlands SEA LEVEL RISE Poor management Mangroves Fisheries FreshWater

7. Source: WBGU 2008 World in Transition -Climate Change as a Security Risk.

17. www.sealevelrise.blogspot.com