Climate change threats the survival and future of as many as 55 million Indians currently residing in the coastal areas of the country.
As per an estimate, an increase of 4°C in global temperatures will see an unprecedented rise in sea water levels which will submerge most countries around the world. India's total coastline stretches 7526 km and is home to millions.
Climate Central, an American non-profit research and journalism organization, has published a report which says that millions of people around the globe are in grave danger. The report also states that 145 million people in China and 25 million people in the US are also at risk.
The findings reveal that cities like Howrah, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hanoi, Khulna, and Shanghai are likely to be drowned if global temperatures continue to spike by up to 4°C.
A total of 460 to 470 million people around the world may lose their homeland due to rising sea water levels. The United States was found to be the most vulnerable country outside Asia.
However, this figure can be brought down, with heavy minimization of carbon emissions. Global leaders are all set to sit down in Paris for the climate change talks which shall shape global future in a scenario marred by rise in temperatures. These talks will revolve around the fact that the world must come to an agreement to keep global temperature rise down to 2°C.
If the Paris talks were to succeed, the numbers are likely to take a fall. But even then, with a temperature rise of 2°C, some 130 million people around the world are still at the risk of losing their land to rising seat water levels.
(Featured Image Credit: chalopicnic.com)
