Warming Planet and Sea Level Rise – Part 2 of 2

Due to increases in our planet’s average temperatures, news about melting glaciers has become more frequent. In recent years, warmer-than-usual global temperatures have caused chunks of Western Antarctica to collapse into the ocean. Glaciers and ice caps, mostly from the Arctic and Antarctic regions, respond to climate change by melting and thus contributing to sea level rise.

Lately, scientists have observed a rapid increase in sea levels in the Indian Ocean. As the third largest global oceanic division, the Indian Ocean is of great importance – its swelling waters will have a huge impact on many countries due to its geographic location. Nearly 40% of the world’s population, approximately 2.6 billion people, lives in coastal zones around the Indian Ocean.

Many parts of our planet will be under water if greenhouse gas emissions – mostly methane and nitrous oxide produced by animal farming – continue to warm the earth. The loss of icebergs frequently contributes to sea level rise, which in turn leads to extreme flooding around the globe. This bleak future can be prevented if greenhouse gases are significantly reduced by ending the production and consumption of meat and dairy products.

During a videoconference held on June 13, 2008 with London, UK Association members, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed a very important message on protecting our environment and ending climate change. “If we stop the worst cause of global warming, meaning stock raising, animal breeding, then we will be able to save the planet. We have to stop the killing of man or animals. We have to stop producing animals products. And we have to stop using it, okay? The best thing is stop eating meat, stop killing animals, stop raising animals. Then the methane gas and the nitrous oxide gas will stop! And then we cut already a big chunk of pollution off our air and we cut off the global warming process. And I said already 80% of it will be cut almost immediately, and we can see the results in a few weeks.”