7 Wonders of the World

7 Wonders of the World

By Anushka Joshi and Sam Gibbs

The Seven Wonders of the World are usually associated with monuments and sites that commemorate great creations by man. However, planet Earth boasts plenty of natural beauty–– and creations that its inhabitants depend on for our livelihood. As climate change rips across the globe, it takes down many of Earth’s most prized possessions. The following are seven natural wonders of the world that are under threat, and the consequences of destruction.

AMAZON RAINFOREST

The Amazon Rainforest is a vast region that spans across eight countries in South America. This beautiful landscape contains 1 in 10 known species on Earth, 1.4 billion acres of forest (which is half of the world’s remaining tropical forests), and 4,100 miles of rivers, among other things. The health of the Amazon reflects the health of the planet. The rainforest contains between 90 and 140 million metric tons of carbon which helps stabilize both local and global climate. Due to deforestation and climate change, many of the ecosystems within the Amazon will be affected. The warming temperatures lead to droughts and flooding that make it harder for vegetation to grow and harder for animals to survive. These droughts also lead to forest fires that burn large amounts of trees, irreversible damage. Local farmers must adapt and change their agricultural practices to be more sustainable in order to help save the Amazon as well as their own food supply. These new and improved practices will increase food security among local communities while also reducing the need to turn forest space into agriculture.

MOUNT EVEREST

Mount Everest is the highest mountain to rise above sea level on Earth. It is the ultimate destination for climbers and requires an immense amount of risk, preparation, and skill to summit. It is an incredibly long and dangerous trek–– over 300 climbers have died on Everest since expeditions began 100 years ago. Much of the bedrock that climbers rely on is held together by ice––and as global temperatures rise, the security of the mountain is further threatened. During the 2019 climbing season, fixing the ropes triggered an avalanche and rock slide that took the lives of 16 people in one incident. These unstable conditions result in an increasing amount of fatalities. Bodies on the mountain are essentially mummified due to Everest’s high altitude and cold temperature, and a trail of human bodies is left as a reminder of human impact on nature. A natural wonder of the world, frequently enjoyed by many, could eventually close off to the public if deemed too dangerous due to climate change.

Madison Ledger

DEAD SEA

The Dead Sea is in fact dying. The sea has been shrinking rapidly as the surface level recedes 3 feet per year. This is largely due to mineral mining from the sea, and the manual diversion of the Jordan River--one of the largest sources of water to flow into the Dead Sea. Now the Dead Sea receives less than 10% of the original 160 billion gallons that flowed through annually to maintain surface levels. The Dead Sea is 4-9x brinier than the ocean, and is an unsuitable environment for any living organism to survive in. When the water recedes, fresh groundwater wells up and dissolves layers of salt, creating large underground cavities, above which sinkholes form. A sinkhole is a hole in the ground caused by the collapse of the surface layer. On the grounds of the Dead Sea, the sinkholes can reach up to 82 feet (25 m) deep and 131 feet (40 m) in diameter, and nearby holes sometimes join to form giant ones. More than 4,000 sinkholes exist today. While there have been no deaths caused by the sinkholes, they pose a threat to travelers and off-shore roads, businesses, and buildings.

Madison Ledger

ICE CAPS & GLACIERS

Since 1906, the global average surface temperature has risen by more than 1.6 degrees Celsius, and even more in polar regions. When temperatures increase, ice caps and glaciers around the world begin to thaw and melt. This leads to more water flowing into the sea, which warms the water and increases its volume. In the past hundred years, this combination of things has caused sea levels to rise between four and eight inches. Prior to this, the average rate of global sea level rise was much lower; now, it is one-tenth of an inch per year. This increase could lead to dramatic changes to the world’s coastlines. More than 100 million people globally live within three feet of mean sea level. Not only would rising sea levels affect coastlines, but it will affect millions of people, both in vulnerable and wealthy countries. The erosion of coastlines can lead to the destruction of sources of drinking water and the production of crops. The ice is melting and fast. The vanishing ice has challenged species such as the Adélie penguin in Antarctica, where some populations have collapsed by 90 percent or more. The melting ice also forces many species to move to higher, colder places. The changing landscape means some species will adapt, while others may go extinct, like the polar bears.

AIR QUALITY

The air around us is what gives us life. The air around us now, however, is becoming increasingly polluted and unbreathable, due to pollutants stemming from the burning of fossil fuels. The increase in carbon emissions enhances the growth of pollen-producing plants, meaning more pollen in the air. This could contribute to an increased amount of sickness from allergies in the population. Smog and pollen together means many more “bad air” days, which puts many people at risk of developing infections and illnesses. In recent times, the threat of COVID-19 has dramatically slowed economic activity around the globe. It has put life as we know it on pause. This pause — in business, education, socializing— has resulted in certain localized improvements in air quality. The lock down and reduction in economic activity in China led to an estimated 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions within four weeks. However, these local reductions are not solutions to the problem. Now is the time, as we are on pause, to change our economic systems to be more sustainable and climate-friendly. We cannot simply go back once this virus is eradicated. The world’s leaders need to show the same, if not increased, commitment and unity towards fighting climate change as they have to fighting this pandemic.

Madison Ledger

GREAT BARRIER REEF

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth. While it is a host to biodiversity, its existence is essential to humans too. Coral Reefs serve as a form of protection to coastlines from storms and waves, medical research, purification of water, and more. However, Coral Reefs around the world are dying, and climate change is the biggest threat. Coral bleaching is when the algae is expelled from coral polyps, and results in a loss of color and the ability for coral to produce food. Coral bleaching is a common response to the rise of ocean temperatures, and an increase in ocean acidification. The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide, and as we’ve created more CO2 than our atmosphere can handle, our oceans are taking a hit too. Human activity such as overfishing, dragging boats, and run-off pollution kill the reefs too. By 2050, coral reefs around the world could be wiped out. The Great Barrier Reef has had its third major bleaching event in 5 years as of March 2020. The health of the ocean depends on coral reefs, and the health of humanity depends on the ocean. 80% of the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean. As coral reefs disappear, so does the buffer between the ocean and coastlines. Cities may lose their protection against big storm surges, fishing and tourism industries could be eliminated completely, not to mention the massive loss of life in the ocean’s ecosystem.

Madison Ledger

DROUGHT

A drought is a duration of a prolonged water shortage. The supply can be lacking in atmospheric, surface, or ground water, and can have a severe effect in as quickly as 15 days. Unlike a natural disaster that occurs as a large and sudden event, droughts are described as “creeping disasters”. In the past 40 years, droughts have affected more people around the world than any other natural disaster. Droughts are caused by natural forces and cycles (El Niño, anyone?). But dry spells are increasing in frequency and intensity, and man-made causes have more to do with it. Rising temperatures have impacted dry regions to become even drier, and wet regions to become wetter. Our high demand for water has put a strain on natural resources, and exacerbates drought conditions. Deforestation is the process of removing trees and plants, and in the process eliminates the moisture from the vegetation water cycle and degrades the quality of soil––further endangering crops. A drought can limit the production of crops, and even access to water in vulnerable areas. 40% of the world relies on agriculture as their income, and everyone in the world relies on farming for food. Droughts pose a threat to an increase in wildfires, food shortages, and lost income.