These are some of the magnificent places around the world that are endangered because of climate change. All information and pictures read and seen below are from Yahoo News that have interviewed Gaute Hogh, publisher of the book 100 Places To Go Before They Disappear. Hogh was inspired to produce the book after witnessing the effects of global warming in his native Denmark. He wanted to show how natural beauty around the globe could be forever altered by climate change.
Wadden Sea, Denmark
Formed 10,000 years ago at the end of the Ice Age, the Wadden Sea is a low-lying coastal zone where tourists can walk along a land bridge in shallow water to a small island where teeming wildlife resides. “The tide brings up the water and then it goes down again,' explains Gaute Hogh, the publisher of the book '100 Places To Go Before They Disappear.' 'It’s something that is fantastic. It’s something every Dane goes and does at some point. It’s something we are very proud of.” If the sea level continues to rise, the tidal crossing could become too deep and dangerous, while obliterating a prime bird sanctuary.
Congo Basin, Democratic Republic of Congo
Africa’s Mbuti pygmies, who grow to heights of only 4-5 feet, are a group of nomads who live along the Congo Basin, which stretches from Cameroon in the west to Zambia in the southeast. The Congo Basin is one of the most species-rich areas in the world and it serves as the foundation for the pygmies’ culture and livelihood. Around 90% of the region is untouched, but deforestation threatens to change this. If logging continues at present rates, half of the rainforest will vanish in the next 50 years, increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. “[The Mbuti] are small and they have a whole way of life,” Hogh says. “They are working. They are living. They are eating what they are catching in these rainforests. And they will vanish in the next 50 years, before I die.'
Kauai, Hawaii
Kauai, the fourth largest Hawaiian island, is famous for its tropical beauty and lush mountains. Global warming could disrupt its distinct “cloud forest” ecosystem, pushing life-giving moisture to higher elevations. Home to the hummingbird-like honeycreeper, a rare and colorful animal that sips nectar from flowers, this cool zone is vital to Kauai’s verdant environment. Deforestation and non-indigenous species like pigs and goats have also decimated the honeycreeper’s habitat in recent years and the bird is now in danger of going extinct.
Zahara de la Sierra, Andalusia, Spain
Hogh describes Zahara de la Sierra as “a white city in this very green place.” Also known for its olive oil production, the region faces the risk of desert- ification as olive orchards face increasingly dry seasons. Due to climate change, the IPCC projects that rainfall in southern Spain will decrease by 40% by 2080. Local temperatures in the Iberian Peninsula could also spike, turning green pastures into deserts and choking agriculture.
Gujarat, India
Gujarat is India’s largest producer of cotton and salt and is also the birthplace of Mahatma Gahdhi. Monsoons will intensify with continued global warming, causing severe flooding and destruction in India. In 1930, Gandhi launched a campaign against the British salt tax, which had made it illegal for Indians to produce their own salt. He eventually won that fight. India is now the third biggest cotton producer in the world after the U.S. and China and the majority of its cotton comes from Gujarat.
Olympia, Greece
The first Olympic Games are believed to have been held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 B.C. The earliest evidence of building at the site is the Temple of Hera, honoring the wife of Zeus, which dates to around 600 B.C. In recent years, extremely warm and dry summers have increased the number of wildfires in Greece. Fires in 2007 severely burned the area surrounding Olympia. With temperatures projected to rise with diminishing rains, the frequency and ferocity of wildfires are expected to grow. “If you go to Olympia in Greece and you can’t see it, that will be part of our history which will disappear,” Hogh says.
Big Sur, California
Stretching for 90 miles along the Californian coast midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, Big Sur is arguably one of the most breathtaking landscapes in the U.S. For the last 20 years, most of California has been experiencing increased droughts with less rainfall in the spring and summer, leading to a severe escalation in the number of large wildfires. In 2008, a major fire destroyed 16 houses in Big Sur and more than 50 square miles of forest were swallowed by flames. Fires and subsequent flooding also threaten the region’s fragile access roads and infrastructure.
Mergui Islands, Myanmar
The Moken people can dive in deep water for long periods of time. Their underwater vision is also clearer than any other people in the world. Within 30 years, scientists fear that Asia will lose 30% of its coral reefs. Deforestation and increased erosion also threatens the Mergui Island reefs. If the ecosystem collapses, the culture of the 4,000 Moken people could also vanish. “These people can swim with the turtles,' Hogh says. “They can hunt fish so they have food. We may have to do the next book on ‘100 Cultures to Visit Before They Disappear.''
The Battery, New York City, United States
The southern shoreline of Manhattan Island, known as the Battery, is the largest public place in downtown New York. Hundreds of thousands work nearby and over 36,000 residents live in its surrounding area. About every 100 years, the area experiences extreme flooding that reaches heights of up to 10 feet. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of winds and hurricanes and cause sea levels to rise. According to the worse-case scenario, extreme events may occur every four years by 2080, with floods raising water levels by 11-14 feet and paralyzing the whole Manhattan infrastructure. “The tidal area there with the Hudson River is a very beautiful place but it will go underwater,” Hogh warns. “There is more than 280,000 people working in this walking district.”
Tuvalu, Pacific Ocean
Located between Australia and Hawaii, in one of the most remote areas of the Pacific Ocean, lies the nation of Tuvalu. Only 10-square miles – made up of tropical reef islands and narrow coral atolls encompassing blue lagoons -- Tuvalu is the fourth smallest country in the world. Only 12,000 people inhabit the nine-island nation. At 16 feet above sea level, the country has one of the lowest maximum elevations in the world, making it extremely vulnerable to storms and changes in sea level. Tuvalu is also affected by the King Tide, a high tide that raises the sea level higher than normal. Coupled with the expected rise in global sea levels, the entire nation could ultimately become submerged. “I don’t care whether the place is big or small,” Hogh concludes. “It’s the same thing with people. No matter if you’re black or white or Chinese or whatever. It’s about treating each other with respect and it’s the same thing with these small islands.'
For more information on Hogh's project, go to the book's site The book also includes essays by Nobel Peace Prize recipients Desmond Tutu and Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, chairman of the IPCC.
