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ASIA-PACIFIC is the biggest continent on the planet with a lot to offer but also a lot to lose.
Asia-Pacific is massive and packed with rich history, vibrant culture, mesmerizing natural beauty, and incredible cuisine. But this is disappearing in some parts.
This widespread devastation is partly due to climate change, caused by greenhouse gas emissions. These toxic gasses are melting icecaps which force sea levels to rise, resulting in islands being engulfed by the ocean.
And this will not just affect small islanders alone. It’s believed that over 410 million urban dwellers are at risk of coastal flooding by 2025.
Climate change is also heating up the planet quicker than scientists can find an internationally viable solution to the problem.
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One of the most prevalent consequences of rising global temperatures is the increasing number of devastating forest fires.
These fires, aided by dry vegetation and wind, are untamable. They rip through villages, kill families and livestock and burn crops to the ground.
The global temperature increase has also caused oceans to heat up quicker than their inhabitants can adapt, causing coral reefs to bleach beyond salvation and ultimately die.
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In an unhelpful addition to climate change, many of Asia’s historical landmarks and much of its natural beauty has been destroyed by wars.
Back in 2013, Syria’s Minaret of the Great Mosque of Aleppo was reduced to rubble after an explosive device hit it during a battle. The mosque had been standing since 1090 but heavy-handed humans destroyed in a matter of minutes.
Nowhere in the world is safe from the devastating consequences of human interference or the effects of climate change, and the destinations featured in this article are likely to disappear quicker than anywhere else in Asia-Pacific.
So if you’re planning a vacation, this is where to go before it’s too late.
Shibam, Yemen
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This Unesco World Heritage site is known as the world’s oldest skyscraper city. Its five-story buildings are made from mud and highly susceptible to erosion from natural elements.
Yemen is also in the middle of a fierce civil war, so there’s always the threat of destruction by weapons.
Nauru
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Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of this tiny island nation before, let alone know where it is on the map.
Nauru is a speck in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean and holds the accolade of the second smallest country in the world, after the Vatican City.
The island is slowly disappearing from the outside due to rising sea levels, but also caving internally from irresponsible economic growth spurred on by the over-mining of phosphorus.
The Maldives
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The Maldives has been “sinking” for years and it’s only going to get worse for this luxury vacation destination.
The islands sit at only eight meters above sea level, so the imminent rise of the surrounding ocean will mean the resorts will have to build their luxury villas on longer stilts.
The Great Wall of China, China
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China opened to international tourists in the 1970s and since then, visitor numbers to the Great Wall have soared to an average of 10 million per year.
While this gargantuan fleet of engineering has stood the test of time for more than 2,000 years, it’s now slowing disappearing.
Tourists are eroding the wall simply by walking on it and locals aren’t helping the situation either.
Residents near some parts of the wall have been caught stealing bricks and selling them to visitors for US$4.50 (CNY30).
Officials claim around one-third of the Ming dynasty era wall has now vanished.
The Sundarbans, Bangladesh
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The Sundarbans River Forest in the south of Bangladesh is one of the world’s largest mangrove forests and contains hundreds of miles of mudflats, tidal waterways, and smalls islands.
Around three million people currently live in the Sundarbans. However, due to rising sea levels, scientists predict all its residents will be displaced within the next seven years and the process has already started.
Furthermore, scientists predict 15 million Bangladeshis will become homeless by 2025 due to rising sea levels.
The City of Petra, Jordan
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Made famous by the action-packed Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade film, the ancient city of Petra sits proudly on the Seven Modern Wonders of the World list.
The network of caves was built in the first century BC by Nabateans. Petra remained lost for hundreds of years until Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig rediscovered it in the 18th century.
Since then, thousands of tourists travel to admire the site each year, but thieves are ruining the fun.
Looting for “lost treasure” has become a real problem at Petra. Thieves then sell what they’ve found to tourists entering the ancient city.
Vandalism and natural erision are all compromising Petra’s future.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
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Global warming, overfishing, and poorly planned shipping lanes have contributed to the demise of the Great Barrier Reef.
It was once a vibrant home to thousands of species of marine life, but now half of it is dead.
Despite the Australian government’s efforts to bring the reef back to life by injecting millions of dollars into conservation and restoration projects, the reef is still dying.
The Dead Sea, Jordan
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The Dead Sea lies at the lowest point on Earth.
It’s impossible to sink in the Dead Sea as the salt water, which is nine times saltier than any other ocean, keeps you afloat.
The water, which feels like melted butter on your skin, is full of minerals.
The sea is shrinking due to the intensity of the scorching Arabian sun drying up the water.
The streams that used to feed the Dead Sea have been slowly diverted over the last six decades meaning the sea is never replenished with water. It’s reportedly receding by around 1.4 meters each year.
Tuvalu
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The tiny South Pacific nation of Tuvalu comprises of nine stunning islands fringed with palm trees and turquoise waters.
Like many of its neighboring island nations, Tuvalu is under threat from rising sea levels caused by global warming.
In 2002, Tuvalu tried to sue the US and Australia for excessive carbon dioxide emissions,15 but to no avail.
As the effects of global warming increase, Tuvaluans may very soon become environmental refugees.
The post In pictures: Asia-Pacific destinations to visit before they vanish appeared first on Travel Wire Asia.
Source: travelwireasia.com