Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Recent (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Aerial shots of Brazilian tourist attraction Copacabana Beach
2. Various of fisherman Cesar Cardoso repairing fishing net
3. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Cesar Cardoso, fisherman (starting with shot 2):
"It was much wider when I was younger, with lots of sand. Now you just need to take a few steps to reach the sidewalk."
4. Various of beach, tourists
5. Various of oceanographer David Zee talking with reporter
6. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) David Zee, associate professor, Oceanography Department, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ):
"In the 1980s we had one devastating storm surge per year, but in the 1990s, we had at least two per year. Since the beginning of this century, we've seen at least four every year."
7. Beach, tourists
8. Various of sea
9. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) David Zee, associate professor, Oceanography Department, Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ) (starting with shot 8):
"People who live near the water line will be affected by the erosion of the beach and by the destruction of sidewalks and streets. They might have to move."
10. Beach, tourists
11. Various of fisherman Cardoso repairing fishing net

Brazil's famous Copacabana beach is under threat as the rising sea level is changing the landscape of this tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro.

Every year, millions of people flock to the Copacabana beach, a world-renowned resort, to enjoy the sun and the sea.

However, the 42-year-old fisherman Cesar Cardoso said the beach has been shrinking before his eyes.

"It was much wider when I was younger, with lots of sand. Now you just need to take a few steps to reach the sidewalk (from the coastline)," said Cardoso.

According to a United Nations report released in September, the sea level could rise by a meter by 2100, a bleak future for coastal inhabitants and eco-systems.

The erosion of the Copacabana beach is just one example of the consequences of the rising sea level. And many wonder what is next if the sea level continues to rise.

An oceanographer David Zee, also an associate professor with the Oceanography Department of Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), said he is worried about the effects of climate change on Rio de Janeiro right now.

"In the 1980s we had one devastating storm surge per year, but in the 1990s, we had at least two per year. Since the beginning of this century, we've seen at least four every year," said Zee.

Heavy rains and deadly floods have become ever more frequent, causing landslides and erosion. Zee said that without a contingency plan, the consequences will be catastrophic.

"People who live near the water line will be affected by the erosion of the beach and by the destruction of sidewalks and streets. They might have to move," said Zee.

The 25th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25) was concluded in the Spanish capital city of Madrid on Friday. Started from Dec. 2, the conference brought together different institutions dealing with climate-related issues.

Copacabana is located in the South Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known for its 4 km sunbath beach, which is one of the most famous in the world.