Climate Change Will Bring Bigger, More Extreme Waves Risking Coastlines

A new study by researchers puts a newfound blame on global warming and its consequential impact on sea level rise.

The research warns that if planet Earth keeps experiencing global warming at the existing rate, coastal areas will experience bigger, more frequent extreme waves.

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The study quotes a direct relation between the warming of the planet and increasingly strong storm winds. Such fierce storm winds over the sea will trigger larger and more frequent extreme waves over the next 80 years.

As per the research, the largest increase in extreme waves will be observed in the Southern Ocean in both the extreme scenario as well as an optimistic future wherein the global warming is reduced.

Rising sea and ocean storms

(Representative Image: Reuters)

The research looks at various simulations of Earth's changing climate, with varying wind conditions and how it will ultimately impact all of us near coastal population belts.

Conducted by the researchers at the University of Melbourne and now published in Science Advances, the study predicts an increase of up to 10 percent in the frequency and magnitude of extreme waves in extensive ocean regions.

That is, if the global emissions continue at the current rate. In case we manage to curb the emissions from the use of fossil fuels across the globe, this increase in extreme waves will be significantly lower.

Impact of extreme waves

(Representative Image: Reuters)

Professor Ian Young, infrastructure engineering researcher at the University of Melbourne, warns that the predicted increase in storms and extreme waves lead to a considerable rise in sea levels and a corresponding damage to infrastructure.

"Around 290 million people across the world already live in regions where there is a one percent probability of flood every year," Professor Young said. "An increase in the risk of extreme wave events may be catastrophic, as larger and more frequent storms will cause more flooding and coastline erosion."

The research also highlights how the Southern Ocean is significantly more prone to the predicted increase in extreme waves. At this rate of increase, the extreme waves can potentially impact Australian, Pacific and South American coastlines by the end of this century.