The global sea level could rise by approximately 30 cm this century if current trends continue, a recent study warns.
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Melting ice in Antarctica – one of the causes of rising sea levels (Photo: TTO) |
By utilizing data from tide gauge stations around the world, Australian researchers have discovered that the sea level rose approximately 19.5 cm from 1870 to 2004, with the fastest rate of increase occurring in the last 50 years of this period.
This finding aligns with predictions made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In its third assessment report in 2001, the IPCC projected that global average sea levels would rise by about 9-88 cm from 1990 to 2100.
Records also indicate that sea levels have been and continue to rise. The average increase over the entire period from 1870 to 2004 was 1.44 mm per year. If this upward trend continues, scientists warn that the increase in the 21st century could be between 28-34 cm.
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Rising sea levels increase flooding in some areas (Photo: TTO) |
Dr. John Church, the author of the study, stated that higher sea levels could severely impact certain regions. “This means that flooding will increase in areas that are low-lying relative to sea level when storms come through, and it also implies increased coastal erosion and flooding in island nations,” he said.
Currently, climate scientists agree that the increase in greenhouse gas emissions such as CO2 is a primary factor driving global temperature rise. This increase in temperature has subsequently led to rising sea levels.
Dr. Church stated: “We need to reduce our emissions but also recognize that climate change is happening, and we must adapt to that.”
