Increasing global temperatures are causing the world's largest iceberg to melt rapidly, contributing to rising sea levels that could, in turn, accelerate the disappearance of Thailand's coastline over the next 25 years, an academic warned on Monday.
According to Sonthi Kotchawat, an expert on health and the environment, the iceberg dubbed A23a -- which has a total area of about 3,500 square kilometres, or over twice the size of Greater Bangkok -- has run aground off South Georgia Island near Antarctica.
The world's largest iceberg, which has an average thickness of about 280 metres, broke away from Antarctica back in 1986.
As the average global temperature continues to increase beyond the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold established by the Paris Agreement, the iceberg is at risk of breaking up into smaller icebergs that could disrupt major shipping routes in the Southern Ocean, he said.
The icebergs could also disrupt commercial fishing and harm local species, including seals and penguins, he added.
As the iceberg melts, not only will it release vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but it will also release minerals and nutrients locked in the iceberg into the surrounding water, potentially causing plankton blooms that could affect local food chains, he said.
The huge amount of water released by the iceberg could also cause sea levels to rise more rapidly, putting coastal areas at risk.
In Thailand, where the sea level is already rising by an average of 5.8 millimetres annually, areas like Phra Samut Chedi district in Samut Prakan, Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district and Bang Krachao in Samut Sakhon's Mueang district will be most affected, he warned.
If current trends are allowed to continue, by 2050, severe floods will be more frequent in low-lying areas further inland, such as Bang Kholaem, Bang Rak, Thon Buri, Bangkok Yai, Bangkok Noi, Bang Na, Bang Kapi, Bang Khen, Don Muang districts and the Ramkhamhaeng area, Mr Sonthi said, citing a report by Unesco.
This will have an adverse impact on 10% of Thailand's population, he said.
