Jakarta, Venice, and now Miami are all at risk of being underwater within the next couple of decades.

Miami, Florida is facing the effects of sinking because of rising sea levels and greenhouse gasses. As well as what is happening in Jakarta, we as humans are speeding up the process of these sinking cities.

Ocean scientists of the University of Miami, are “alarmed by the ongoing acceleration in sea level rise.” As global carbon emissions continue to increase, the rate of sea level rise has doubled over the last 30 years.

Every fall in Miami, they experience sunny day flooding. In just a few decades, Miami, could be completely underwater. Human impact is the main reason for this.

Everyday we are constantly causing climate change to become a bigger and bigger problem. Greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are the root of the problem. Greenhouse gasses are what cause global warming, the heating of the Earth. We are also releasing CO2 into the atmosphere when we burn coal, oil, wood, etc. All of that extra heat that is created, 90% of it goes into the ocean.

This heating of the ocean, is then melting ice in areas like Greenland and Antarctica. Ice melting is what is causing the sea levels to rise.

Dr. Harold Wanless, Geologist and Professor of Geography and Sustainable Development at University of Miami, gives his input on what exactly has to be removed from the atmosphere to make a change.

Now in Miami, they are working towards a new mitigation strategy that will involve “elevating homes and roads,” as well as creating an open space that will allow flooding to occur without damaging any infrastructure.