The media so often tell us about the changes in the Earth’s climate and landscape related to human activity, that we have ceased to attach great importance to this. Global warming – it has been talked about for decades, but we don’t feel it, rising sea levels are somehow far away from us and are not perceived as a danger.
Meanwhile, there are a large number of beautiful parts of our planet, on which these changes have a tremendous and disastrous effect.
- Taj Mahal, Agra, India
According to many scientists, this beautiful once-white mausoleum is left no more than 5 years. There are several reasons for this, the pollution of the Jamna River, which washes the foundation of the Taj Mahal, has led to the fact that the foundation beams have begun to rot, and endless tourists are damaging the marble floor and the walls of the building.
At the request of UNESCO World Heritage Site, the museum may close for visits in the near future.
- Glaciers of Antarctica
After analyzing images from NASA satellites, scientists concluded that the melting rate of the glaciers of Antarctica over the past 10 years has become simply catastrophic. Since 2003, the ice has become thinner in some areas by almost a meter, and in place of the icy mountains, you can already see hills today. The situation is aggravated by melt water, which, eroding, destroys glaciers faster than warming.
In order to somehow reduce the impact on nature, in the Antarctic region, the number of cruises has been reduced, and in the near future they are planned to be banned altogether.
- Yangtze River Basin, China
The construction of a giant dam, shipping, industrial and agricultural waste, deforestation – all this leads to the death of the Yangtze River flora and fauna.
The Chinese sturgeon, the non-breeding porpoise, the Chinese alligator – all these rare species of animals that live in the Yangtze are on the verge of extinction.
- Maldives
The 1190 islands and atolls of the Maldives archipelago are completely at sea level (the highest point of the islands is 2.4 meters). Due to the melting of glaciers, the water level in the World Ocean rises, and this threatens to completely flooding the Maldives.
The state authorities are preparing for flooding, buying land and houses for their fellow citizens on the mainland (mainly in India).
- Great Barrier Reef
Increased acidity of water, a large flow of tourists, warming – all of these factors lead to the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef. But most of all the situation is aggravated by tropical hurricanes and starfish, which feed on coral polyps. From 1985 to 2013, more than 50% of the total array died, and in another 10 years only a quarter could remain.
How to deal with hurricanes and warming on a global scale, scientists still do not understand, but to maintain biological control and reduce the population of sea stars under their power.
- The Dead Sea
Since 1970, the water level in the Dead Sea has decreased by 30 meters. The reason for this is primarily mining in the sea and the use of 80% of the tributaries flowing into the sea.
The sea disappears, leaving karst craters in the emerging land areas, which adversely affect the ecosystem of coastal areas.
To save the Dead Sea, it is planned to bring a canal to it from the Red Sea, but in this case the composition of the water and the former view of the salt water body will never be the same.
- Galapagos Islands
Galapagos is the home of nearly 10,000 rare species of animals; it was the visit to this archipelago that inspired Charles Darwin to work on the theory of evolution.
Unfortunately, the endless stream of tourists, poachers passing along the islands of cruise liners has led to the fact that the ecosystem of the islands is in a deplorable state and many representatives of flora and fauna are in danger of extinction.
- Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
The reservoirs of this beautiful US park, on whose territory dozens of rare species of animals live, dry up, because water is pumped out of them for neighboring farms and cities.
The swamps that occupy a large area of the park are polluted with waste, and their ecosystem is crumbling.
Since 1900, the park has halved, and on the verge of extinction are animals such as the Florida Panther (Everglades is the only habitat of this species), turtles, manatees.
- Angara River, Russia
The once cleanest river in the world can disappear from the face of the Earth, turning into a long chain of dirty reservoirs filled with emissions of petroleum products, mercury and copper compounds. In a number of areas it is already not recommended to eat fish caught in the river.
Because of the bad ecology in the Angara area, sterlet, sturgeon, taimen are on the verge of extinction, and unique Angara pine forests are the pride of Siberia.
- Venice, Italy
Venice is sinking – the water level rises by 1 millimeter per year, and by 2100 the city may disappear completely. A large number of tourists add fuel to the fire: 60,000 per day instead of the norm that an ancient city can withstand, at 30,000. Waves of cruise liners are also disastrous for Venice – they erode the foundation.
One of the most beautiful cities on the planet is trying to save – they have banned the entry of cruise liners into the central part, they plan to impose restrictions on the number of tourists, but the sea, which once gave Venice wealth and prosperity, continues to destroy it.
