Video: climate change, oceans and coastlines

In this video, Captain Polo visits the Ecuadorian coast, where he documents how global warming affects the Pacific ocean and coastal populations.

An original resource for science teachers and presented by Alan J. Hesse, Captain Polo’s creator and author of the climate change graphic novel series ‘The Adventures of Captain Polo’, the video highlights the issue of rising sea levels, one of the most serious effects of climate change on coastal areas around the world.
As sea levels rise, flooding will become more and more frequent, threatening infrastructure and human survival. Population density on the coast tends to be higher than inland, and in countries like Ecuador, coastal populations live in very difficult conditions, often without proper sanitation and housing.
Water flooding in from the sea not only presents an immediate physical threat; it also undermines sanitation infrastructure and water supplies. Seawater can seep into the ground water affecting crop irrigation, and drinking water. Humans as well as crops cannot drink seawater!

Teachers may use this video as a conversation starter in the classroom or online, as part of their broader teaching on environment and climate change.