A recent study evaluates the effects of marine Mucilage, also known as "sea snot," which has reappeared off the coast of Istanbul this week, and an expected rise of at least 50 centimeters (19.69 inches) in the water level in the Sea of Marmara by 2050, might flood mansions on the Bosporus coast and metro stations during southwesters.

Commenting on the research, professor Levent Kurnaz, director of Boğaziçi University Climate Policy Research Center, explained that Mucilage is an overgrowth of microscopic algae called phytoplankton caused by rising seawater temperatures due to global warming, stagnant water and pollution. He warned about the effects of climate change and the melting of glaciers at the poles of the Marmara Sea and stated that it would cause problems in many structures close to the Bosporus.

Emphasizing taking severe measures, he said: "Places between 50 centimeters and 1 meter above sea level, like Kadiköy Metro, which is almost two spans above sea level, may face a flood disaster during a southwester. Besides, Bosporus mansions will also face floods several times. Therefore significant actions are required to avoid such inconvenient scenarios."

Drawing attention to the warming of the water in the Marmara Sea, Kurnaz said Mucilage has never truly "gone away" but found a place for itself at the bottom. "Mucilage is a consequence. You cannot expect it to disappear entirely without eliminating its causes. One of them is the high seawater temperature; secondly, the Marmara Sea has too many sources of pollution. At the same time, the geographical structure of the Marmara Sea contributes to the scope of Mucilage."

It is worth noting that, last year in June Parliament ratified a bill, which is part of a more comprehensive package for environmental protection, that aims to curb human-made pollution that contributed to the emergence of thick layers of the substance that choked the marine life in the Sea of Marmara for a few months in 2021. Under the bill, the municipalities must set up advanced wastewater treatment facilities. It also brings hefty fines to those responsible for discharging solid and household waste into the sea by maritime vehicles.