Several cities may be flooded by the oceans if the temperature of the earth does not stop increasing in the next century.

The temperature of the globe may increase by as much as 4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century if we don’t do anything to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. According to scientists, it means an ascent of the oceans of about 9 meters. It would threaten to flood territories where more than a million Canadians live at present. This scenario is dramatic. During the conference of Paris on the climate, the international community has tried to come to an agreement to limit the damages to 2 degrees. It would still cause an average increase of 4, 7 meters of the sea level.

As for many cities in the world, the increase of the sea level is not a hypothetical question any more for Vancouver. The city council had to revise its development plans to take into account this new reality which threatens its territory. Several sectors of Vancouver were designated as easily flooded plains, among them the port of the city, the most important for the country. Another example, since 2014, the new constructions in sectors at risk must be built one meter higher than the older buildings. More over British Columbia recommends, in its coastal cities to get ready for an increase of 1 meter of water by the end of the century, and 2 meters in 2200. According to the researchers of the American group Climate Central, the rise in the water level following a 2 degrees increase would threaten 340 000 people in the city of Vancouver only. That means 19 % of the population. And an increase of 4 degrees would affect 400 000 people, 22 % of the current residents of the region.