Baby, it’s getting cold outside, and people are making vacation plans to get away & feel some relief from those wintertime blues.

Planning a trip soon?  Unfortunately, climate change is placing many travel hot spots in danger.   Here are some travel destinations that could be affected:

• Venice, Italy – Just last year, the United Nations cultural organization UNESCO cautioned that Venice is in danger from rising sea levels, resulting from climate change.  Last week, over 5 feet of water flooded the underwater city.  Additionally, salt water is eating away at the buildings.  To combat these problems, the city is building a gate system, a project nicknamed “Moses,” to be completed by 2011.
• London, England—London’s famous monuments, such as the Palace of Warminster and the Tower of London, survived World War II (and my flatmates and I lived in the country for 5 1/2 months), but climate change could cause the Thames River to rise and flood the city. With these tourist sites on the water, future generations may not see them in their original form.
• Glacier National Park, Montana—Since 1850, two-thirds of the park’s 150 glaciers have disappeared. Estimates indicate they could all disappear by 2030.
• Taj Mahal, India – Pollution  staining the Taj Mahal’s white marble mausoleum has now yellowed.  Air pollutants sulphur dioxide & nitrous oxide gases have been recorded at high levels, although local officials are trying to turn this around.
• Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania—The highest peak in Africa, has seen 80% of its ice cap volume drop. The glaciers on top of this mountain, along with tourism, could be gone in two decades.
• Great Barrier Reef, Australia – Planning on diving into the largest reef on the planet?  This beauty faces threats from tourism, agricultural runoff, and warming seas.  Global warming’s rising temperatures are already causing dead coral & ‘bleaching’ of the reef.  95% of coral could be lost if ocean temps rise just 2.7 degrees F, according to the Worldwide Find/Queensland government from 2004.
• Galapagos Islands—Interested in seeing where Darwin’s theory of evolution developed? Constant tourism, Oil Spills, and Development threaten this island, and invasive species threaten natural wildlife.
• Antarctica– Have a larger budget?  Trips to Antarctica are possible but beware – in 2006, 196 Billion tons of ice were lost. This raised sea level by 1/2 millimeters worldwide, as 90% of global ice is in Antarctica.  The more the ice disappears, the easier more ice can break off.
• Everglades, Florida – Want to see the 2.4 million acre marsh?  Rising salt water levels have already eroded peatlands and can eventually flood the Everglades & ruin lands.  Some estimates say that by 2200, rising sea levels could submerge all of South Florida.
• Are you addicted to skiing like I am? Due to erratic climate patterns, ski seasons could be shortened in the Rockies or local Appalachians.

While these places are in definite danger, there’s still hope to avoid these potential disasters.  Every positive step in the climate change battle prevents these beautiful treasures from being ruined.  If we take time to lower our carbon footprint, recycle, and make small changes, generations beyond ours can still enjoy these places.

Interested in learning more?  Check out Disappearing Destinations – 37 Places in Peril & What Can Be Done to Save Them by Kimberly Lisagor & Heather Hansen.

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher