A new study says up to one-half of the world's sandy beaches could disappear by 2100 because of climate change.
一項新的研究表明， 由於氣候變化，到2100年， 世界上多達一半的海灘可能會消失。
Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, China and the United States would be among the hardest hit, the research shows.
研究顯示，澳大利亞、加拿大、智利、墨西哥、中國和美國將是受影響最嚴重的國家。
The study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
這項研究發表在《自然氣候變化》雜誌上。
Michalis Vousdoukas was the lead investigator.
米卡利斯.沃斯頓卡斯是首席研究員。
"Touristic areas which have sandy beaches as their main selling point will probably face strong consequences," he said.
「以海灘為主要賣點的旅遊區可能會面臨嚴重後果，」他
Aside from economic value, beaches play an important environmental role.
除了經濟價值，海灘還起著重要的環境作用。
"Sandy beaches are important habitats supporting a wide range of species.
「海灘是多種物種的重要棲息地，
They also protect the coast from the effects of storms, so without sandy beaches other inland environments can be affected by the effects of waves and saltwater intrusion," Vousdoukas added.
還保護海岸免受暴風雨影響，所以如果沒有海灘，其他內陸環境也會受到海浪和海水入侵的影響，」 沃斯頓卡斯補充道。
Global sea levels have increased in recent decades.
近幾十年來，全球海平面在持續上升。
Major causes include melting glaciers and thermal expansion.
主要原因包括冰川融化和海水熱膨脹。
Thermal expansion is the reaction of matter to increases in temperature.
熱膨脹是物質對溫度升高的反應。
Water expands as it warms.
水變暖時會膨脹。
Researchers examined satellite images showing shoreline changes during the past thirty years.
研究人員檢查了過去三十年來海岸線變化的衛星圖像。
They then used these trends in two different climate change situations.
然後，他們將這些趨勢應用於兩種不同的氣候變化情況。
One situation predicted a small reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
-種情況預測溫室氣體排放會小幅減少。
The other situation predicted high greenhouse gas emissions.
另一種情況預測溫室氣體排放會大量增加。
Greenhouse gas emissions have a link to climate change.
溫室氣體排放與氣候變化有關。
By 2050, the researchers projected beach losses of between 13 and 15 percent.
研究人員預計，到2050年， 海灘損失將在13%到15%之間
By 2100, the projected losses are from 35 to 49.5 percent, or 95,061 to 131,745 kilometers of beaches.
到2100年，預計損失將在35%到49.5%之間，即95061到131745公裡的海灘。
Australia would lose more sandy shoreline than any other country, with 14,849 kilometers projected to be gone by 2100.
澳大利亞失去的沙質海岸線將比任何其他國家都多，預計到2100年將減少14849公裡。
Canada is second in projected losses.
加拿大的預計損失排在第二位。
The United States could lose up to 5,530 kilometers.
美國可能會損失5530公裡的沙質海岸線。