Incredible Disappearing Wonders of the World
It’s incredibly sad to think that in a couple of centuries some of the world’s greatest wonders will have disappeared. It wasn’t until recent years that I realised how much of an impact tourism has on the destruction of unique habitats and fascinating destinations. With climate change and travel very closely linked, we’ve learnt that by our means of travelling to these iconic destinations, we often do more damage then good, and due to climate change, some of the greatest destinations will soon disappear. Below are some of the destinations which could be affected and a must see before they do!
Amazon Rainforest
Spanning the border of eight countries, the Amazon is the world’s largest river basin and the source of one-fifth of all free flowing fresh water on Earth. The Amazon Rainforest is one of the planets most luxuriant and home to one in ten known species on Earth. In 2004 alone, the equivalent of an area larger than Sicily was lost to logging and farming. Rainforests used to cover 14% of the earth’s surface and now sadly only cover a mere 6%. Experts predict that the last remaining rainforests could be consumed in the next 40 years.
Logging in the Amazon Rainforest
Africa’s Rooftop
“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” as described in Ernest Hemingway’s 1938 short story may soon be a distant memory. A report published in 2009 warned that Africa’s highest peak has lost 26 percent of its icecaps since 2000, and 85% of the snow that once covered the mountains in 1912. Scientists predict that all of its glaciers could be gone as early as 2020!
Disappearing Glacier of Kilimanjaro
Luxor Tombs
On the west banks of the Nile, the Valley of the Kings is the site of burial grounds and tombs that belong to kings and powerful nobles that lived centuries ago between the 11th and 16th Century. The valley consists of 63 tombs and chambers and thousands of visitors explore the valley every year. The carvings and painted decorations of the chambers are so fragile that the humidity and fungus that is caused by poor ventilation and tourist’s breath are destroying the artefacts inside. Scientists and archaeologists predict the tombs could disappear within 150 to 500 years.
Valley of the Kings - Egypt
The Maldives Islands
Maldives holidays are enjoyed by thousands of people every year. At just a metre above sea level, the Maldives is one of the world’s lowest lying countries and with rising sea levels, many fear that the islands will simply disappear beneath the waters. To the every day traveller, the signs of climate change are invisible, but scientists on the island fear the sea level is rising 0.9cm a year. Since 80% of its islands are no more then a metre above sea level, scientists predict that the Maldives could become uninhabitable within 100 years.
Ariel view of the Maldives Islands
Are there any other places which you know of that may disappear in the future?
Category: Experiences
