Sea level rise

The Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright, has warned about the dangers to buildings near the sea if the sea level rises. Thousands of homes throughout New Zealand are built near the sea, along the coast. Some cities like Wellington have buildings, main roads and railway lines along the coast. Christchurch, Dunedin, Petone on Wellington Harbour, and the North Shore in Auckland have many houses on flat land near the sea.

With global warming, sea levels could rise 1 metre or more in the next 100 years. Houses built too close to the sea would be flooded. Rivers would become salty. More storms, more heavy rain and stronger waves would destroy soft cliffs. Houses built on the edge of cliffs could fall into the sea below. While sea walls and large rocks can protect the coast for a while, these things are not a long-term solution. Sand dunes can be effective, however, at blocking the sea from invading flat areas, and many coastal areas are trying to protect their sand dunes.

Local councils need to plan for the future by not allowing houses too close to the coast. Councils can build recreational parks along the coast, like the Esplanade in Napier, to keep houses well away from the shore. A worry for home owners now is that insurance companies may refuse to insure houses which are at risk from a rising sea level. Their property values may also decrease.

Many people are angry at this report from the Commissioner for the Environment and say they do not believe that the sea level will rise. Some say that houses do not last 100 years anyway so why worry now?

Vocabulary

• coast – land beside the sea
• global warming – the world getting warmer
• long-term – opposite: short-term
• sand dunes – hills made from sand, usually with tussock (grass) growing on them
• invade – enter by force
• recreational areas – for people to enjoy e.g. playgrounds, parks
• shore – the edge of the sea, the beach
• at risk – in danger
• property values – the price for the house if they sell, the RV (rateable value)

Grammar

Note: conditional “would” or “could” to show a possibility e.g. If the sea level rises, X could happen.

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