Il livello degli oceani potrebbe salire più rapidamente del previsto, avverte la NOAA, l'agenzia oceanica e atmosferica degli Stati Uniti, ipotizzando una crescita di 2-2,7 metri entro la fine del secolo.
Si tratta di uno scenario che rischia di concretizzarsi se nulla fosse intrapreso per ridurre le emissioni di gas a effetto serra, ciò che potrebbe tradursi in un aumento della temperatura di 3-5 gradi, stando a Robert Kopp, dell'Università Rutgers, nel New Jersey.
Anche considerando il solo paese nordamericano, quest'evoluzione avrebbe conseguenze catastrofiche: sono infatti milioni i cittadini che vivono lungo le sue coste e già attualmente, diverse strade della città di Miami, in Florida, vengono periodicamente inondate dalle maree.
Dal 1880 -si ricorda- la quota delle acque s'è innalzata di 21-24 centimetri, otto dei quali dal 1993; dal 1900, inoltre, l'accelerazione della progressione è stata la più rapida mai registrata in un periodo analogo da quasi 3'000 anni.
AFP/dg
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