These California Destinations Could Be Underwater By 2050

Climate change continues to negatively impact our planet despite small efforts being carried out to combat its effects every day. Flooding is one of many natural disasters that will continue to increase in intensity as Earth's surface temperature rises. According to KTLA, residents living in coastal regions around the world could see a sea level rise so extreme, that "developed areas" (including but not limited to islands and beach towns) could be underwater by 2050.

While much of California's coast is at risk, "Naval Air Station Point Mugu, multiple sections of the Port of Long Beach and dozens of blocks in Huntington Beach near Bolsa Chica State Beach" are predicted to endure the most flooding in coming years. If climate change continues at its current rate, deadly "once-in-a-century" weather patterns will only become more common.

So what exactly is climate change and how can we do our part as individuals to prevent its lasting effects?

According to United Nations, climate change is defined as a "long-term shift in temperature" primarily caused by human activity. When humans burn fossil fuels, these greenhouse gases are emitted into the air, causing heat to be trapped and temperatures to increase on a global scale. Cutting down forests, driving cars, inefficient energy usage, and factory farming are just a few of the many factors directly feeding global warming. United Nations listed the lasting effects of climate change to be: "intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity."

In order to halt these catastrophic disasters on a large scale, the human race needs to reduce coal, oil, and gas usage and switch to renewable forms of energy before our footprint is no longer reversible. On a small scale, we can prevent the continuation of climate change by installing solar panels, biking, walking, car pooling, taking fewer flights, recycling, avoiding single use products, consuming less meat and dairy, and monitoring food waste.

For more tips and tricks on how to do your part to prevent the lasting effects of climate change visit un.org.