🌊 SL & the 'Doomsday Glacier': Urgent Sea Level Rise Threat

• Global climate leadership lacks urgency, as the recent COP30 in Belém, Brazil, concluded with a "watered-down agreement," failing to include specific details on ending fossil fuels. • Sri Lanka is positioned as facing a critical threat, with the analogy of Colombo becoming a "Venice in the Indian Ocean" used to underscore the potential risk. • Key Global Threat: The Thwaite Glacier in West Antarctica—nicknamed the "Doomsday Glacier"—is melting rapidly, a process accelerated by rising temperatures and potentially a geological 'hot spot' of active volcanoes. • Immediate Impact: • The current global sea level rise is 4.4 mm annually. • The disappearance of the Thwaite Glacier is expected to contribute an additional 65 cm of global sea level rise, likely within a decade. • National Concerns: • The stability of reclaimed land like Colombo Port City is questioned under this rising sea level scenario. • Saltwater intrusion is already a serious issue, impacting water intakes in major rivers like the Kelani, Kalu, and Nilwala, necessitating the discussion of salinity barriers. • While the CEA's R&D division has preliminary findings, resource limitations hinder a comprehensive mapping of the impact on Sri Lanka’s coastline.