Fact Check: Rising sea levels can be prevented by digging into the seabed and building dikes with the material.

Fact-Check Article: "Rising sea levels can be prevented by digging into the seabed and building dikes with the material."

What We Know

The claim that rising sea levels can be prevented by digging into the seabed and constructing dikes from the excavated material lacks scientific support. Sea levels have been rising due to two main factors: the melting of polar ice caps and the thermal expansion of seawater as global temperatures increase. According to a report by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, sea levels have risen between 10 to 25 centimeters over the past century, with predictions of an additional rise of up to 90 centimeters in the next hundred years.

Dikes are indeed a common method used to protect coastal areas from flooding and erosion caused by rising sea levels. They function as barriers to prevent seawater from inundating land, but they do not stop sea levels from rising. Instead, they help manage the impacts of rising sea levels. As noted in an article by Live to Plant, dikes primarily serve to prevent flooding during storm surges and high tides, thereby safeguarding infrastructure and ecosystems.

Moreover, the construction of dikes and other coastal defenses requires careful planning and engineering, as highlighted in a report from WWF. The effectiveness of dikes can diminish over time due to erosion and the changing dynamics of coastal ecosystems.

Analysis

The assertion that digging into the seabed could prevent rising sea levels is fundamentally flawed. While it is true that dikes can help manage the effects of rising sea levels, they do not address the root cause of the problem. The idea of reversing sea level rise through excavation is not supported by credible scientific evidence. For instance, a 2019 article suggests that digging new seas could lower sea levels, but this claim lacks robust scientific backing and is not widely accepted in the scientific community.

The sources discussing dikes emphasize their role in flood prevention and erosion control rather than as a solution to stop sea level rise. For example, the World Ocean Review states that while dikes and barriers are essential for coastal protection, they cannot fully mitigate the ongoing natural impacts of climate change, which will continue to affect sea levels. Additionally, the complexities of coastal ecosystems mean that simply adding material to create dikes does not guarantee protection against the dynamic nature of coastlines.

The reliability of the sources used to support the claim is questionable, particularly those suggesting that excavation could reverse sea level rise. In contrast, reputable organizations like the WWF and scientific institutions provide well-researched information on the limitations and functions of dikes in coastal management.

Conclusion

Verdict: False

The claim that rising sea levels can be prevented by digging into the seabed and building dikes with the material is false. While dikes can help mitigate the impacts of rising sea levels by preventing flooding and erosion, they do not address the fundamental issue of rising sea levels themselves. The scientific consensus indicates that sea levels will continue to rise due to climate change, and effective coastal management requires a multifaceted approach rather than relying on excavation and dike construction alone.