These are some of the most beautiful and yet endangered places on the planet, which are fast shrinking;
1. The Maldives, South Asia – The Maldives collectively consists of nearly 1,200 islands, most of which are uninhabited, in the Indian Ocean. None of the islands is 1.8 meters (6 feet) above sea level, making the islands the lowest lying nation in the world. Global climate change projected by the IPCC and reported in Maldives Global Warming Warning could see an increase in sea levels of 58cm (22.8in) which would see most of the country’s 1,192 islands submerged by the next century and 369,000 people homeless.
2. Kilimanjaro Glacier, Tanzania – The Kilimanjaro ice cap is melting away although the cause and rate at which it’s melting are unclear. Global warming could be to blame for the 80% shrinkage since 1936. Challenge yourself to a Tanzania and Kilimanjaro trekking holiday before it’s too late.
3. Indonesian Archipelago, South-East Asia – It has been predicted that the beautiful yet threatened Indonesian archipelago will lose 2,000 islands and 154,000 square miles of land by 2080. And by 2050 it has been estimated that 25% of the capital, Jakarta, will disappear threatening to displace the 8.8 million inhabitants. Make your next vacation an Indonesian adventure holiday whilst you can.
4. The Arctic Ice Shelf – A NASA climate scientist has estimated that the Arctic will be completely free of ice in the coming decades which would pave the way for oil exploration.
5. Antarctic Peninsula – Experts claim that the Antarctic Peninsula now has 40% less sea ice than it used to which is frightening enough but also within 20 to 40 years it’s highly likely that no ice will form at all. All this has startling consequences for the Antarctic wildlife and with natural food diminishing the whale, Weddell seal, and Adélie penguin populations, which have already declined by a massive 70%, will possibly become extinct.
6. The Dead Sea, Jordan/Israel – The Dead Sea is quickly becoming, well, literally dead. The Dead Sea which is situated on the Jordan/Israel border, has lost a third of its surface area in the last 40 years and has also dropped by 80 feet.
7. Sundarbans Mangroves, Bangladesh/India – The 4,000 square miles of wetlands on the border of Bangladesh and India is under threat. The Sundarbans is home to the rare Indian tiger and more than two million people and by the end of the 21st century, UNESCO predict that 75% will have disappeared forever.
8. Great Barrier Reef, Australia – The world’s biggest coral reef with over 900 islands and 2,900 reefs, the Great Barrier Reef is spread over 2,600km (1,600 miles) over around 344,400 sq km (133,000 sq mi) and is facing the very threat of disappearing by 2030. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland and The Australian Conservation Foundation has claimed that if the ocean rises just 3-5 degrees F, 97% of the Great Barrier Reef would become bleached and lifeless.
