Sea Levels A lot of fuss has been made about rising sea levels and the cause has been attributed to the melting of polar ice. During the last Ice-Age, massive amounts of water were trapped in the ploar ice-caps; in some cases it was several miles thick. This caused the sea level to drop exposing vast areas of land that are now beneath the sea. As the climate warmed, at the end of the last cold period, the sea levels rose again and finally reached an equilibrium. When the weight of the massive ice sheet was removed from the land, the earth’s crust began ti rise again after being pushed down by the weight of the ice. This meant that the sea level appeared to drop in some areas. This has virtually reach a static point now but the earth’s crust is forever moving, so it is very difficult to gauge the sea level with any accuracy. However, with satellite measurements, it is possible to get a fair estimate of the changes in sea level, and it would seem that it is rising a very small amount each year. The climate extremists and the people living in low-lying coastal areas blame this on global warming, and some seek reparation, in the form of large handouts, from the people they deem responsible. However, there is very little, if any effect on sea levels due to melting ice as the majority of it is actually floating, so has no effect whatsoever on the sea level. So what is causing the rise in the sea level? Well, rain is falling on land all over the world, and the water then drains back into the sea via rivers, taking wirh it masses of sediment which is deposited on the seabed. as this sediment builds up, the level of the sea rises. This is added too by the constant coastal erosion caused by the tides wearing away at the beaches and cliffs. This all adds to the amount of sediment on the sea bed causing the sea l evel to rise, and there is virtually nothing we can do about it. The above diagram shows the sea level over the last 200,000 years and the only time it has been higher than at the present time, is during the last interglacial when it was actually much warmer than at the present time. Wildfires There have always been wildfires; they are a natural occurrence. They can be caused by lightning as well as by human activity. Their damage can be reduced by good management; clearing some of the undergrowth, making firebreaks, etc. But in recent years, this has been neglected, encouraged by the conservationalists, who think it would disrupt the wildlife. Yes, but not as much as a wildfire. Obviously, these fires will spread more quickly if the conditions favour it. A slightly warmer climate might encourage more vigorous fires, but it doesn’t mean it’s our fault. Some of the worst fires occurred long before the climate warmed, and the warming has only been in the order of 1 degree C. Hurricanes There have always been hurricanes, but there is no evidence of them getting worse that they have been in the past. These are quirks of the weather and vary randomly in intensity. Floods Again there have always been floods, but if these seem to be increasing in their effect, it is more likely due to changing conditions of the rivers and drainage systems. Rivers silt up, and without dredging, will be more prone to flooding.