KARACHI, March 23: Speakers at a meeting on Friday said that owing to global warming the sea level would rise during the next 100 years and pose threat to many small island states in general and low-lying coastal areas of the world in particular.

They were speaking at the inauguration of a three-day exhibition held in connection with the World Meteorological Day at the Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics, Met Complex on University Road.

A former director-general of the department, S.A.A. Kazmi, Naeem Shah and others spoke. They said that a report of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated that globally an average temperature rise by 1.4C to 5.8C between 1990 – 2100.

They said that overall the IPCC had estimated that by 2100 the sea-level would have increased between 9cm and 88cm, which would pose a significant problem for many low-lying countries and islands.

They said that such issues would be given due attention in the next year – 2007–2008, which had been declared as an International Polar Year and the scientists the world over would be addressing a wide-range of physical, biological as well as social issues, closely or directly linked to the polar region.

They said they hoped the outcome of this endeavour would contribute to a better understanding of climatic viability and climate change, as well as to the development of the much-needed climate applications to address some of the major challenges of the 21st century.

The speakers also highlighted the need for cooperation between the metrological departments and various national and international agencies to carry out research so that they benefited from each other’s experience and knowledge.

The exhibition will remain open on Saturday and Sunday.