According to recent reports, New Zealand’s sea level is rising much faster than forecasted. The cities of New Zealand are at risk due to the rapid increase in sea levels. The new data gathered by researchers warn that the rise in sea level will impact citizens and human infrastructure. With climate experts expecting sea levels to increase up to 50 cm by 2100, most of New Zealand’s sea level will rise higher than the rest of the globe. According to the government’s data accumulated from around New Zealand’s coastline, parts of the country are already sinking as much as 3 to 4mm (0.11 to 0.16 inches) every year.

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New Zealand’s sea level rising issue has accelerated the sinking of the country’s largest cities. The data collected by various researchers are the result of a five-year-long government-sanctioned research programme- The NZ SeaRise. Numerous national and international researchers and scientists worked on the programme to obtain the final result, which was terrifying, as mentioned by one expert. With several areas of New Zealand steadily sinking, experts predict the country to experience many more catastrophic impacts within the coming years. With rising sea levels, government bodies and authorities will have fewer chances to reverse the impacts and introduce environmental adaptation plans. The government will also have less time to relocate the communities living on the coast.

The New Zealand coastline will continue to move inland every year, eventually taking away human infrastructure and cities. The regions facing the most threat are the rapidly sinking areas of Wellington, Banks Peninsula, Marlborough-Nelson and a few more areas. This issue may not impact people today, but gradually, in perhaps 20 years or less, the communities living on the New Zealand coastline will not be able to live there anymore. Even as this issue persists, developers are constructing new housing units next to the coastline. As there is no proper government intervention, people tend to ignore the issue. The problems lie with the local authorities lacking resources and funding. This calls for the central government to weigh in. As in the case of every ecological disaster, any further delay will prove fatal.