Mastodawn

Sea level rise is speeding up and scientists now know exactly why https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260522023116.htm

#environment #sea #SeaLevel #SeaLevelRise

Sea level rise is speeding up and scientists now know exactly why

The world’s oceans are rising at an accelerating pace, and scientists now say they can fully explain what’s driving it. Warming seawater is the biggest factor, while melting glaciers and polar ice sheets are increasingly pouring more water into the oceans each year. Researchers also solved a puzzling mismatch in sea level measurements that had lingered for years.

ScienceDaily

Bob LeFridge

1d ago

A new paper answers questions about the causes of sea level rise. While melting glaciers (27%) and melting ice sheets at both ends of the planet (15% & 12%) play their parts, the biggest driver is warming seawater. Warmer water takes up more space, accounting for almost half (43%) of the rise.

Now here comes the bad news.

Since 1960, global sea levels have risen at an average rate of 2.06mm every year, but that figure is accelerating. Between 2005 and 2023 sea levels have risen by 3.94mm per year. If the increased pace continues, that 4mm is likely to double every twenty years.

But let's magically imagine that the rate of increase stabilises at 4mm. In ten years that's a 40mm increase. In 100 years the figure becomes 400mm. And the researchers tell us that sea level rise is already baked in for "centuries".

"Even if greenhouse gas emissions are eventually stabilized, sea level rise will not stop anytime soon."

The future? We're soaking in it already.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260522023116.htm

#SeaLevel #ClimateChange #Oceans

[Edit: amended 100 year figure]

Sea level rise is speeding up and scientists now know exactly why

ScienceDaily

Rob Larter 2d ago

I chatted with Patrick Pester at LiveScience about the impending demise of the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf, future change to Thwaites Glacier itself and the implications for sea-level rise.
https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/antarctica/the-doomsday-glacier-is-poised-to-lose-its-ice-shelf-this-year-an-antarctic-researcher-explains-what-that-means-for-global-sea-levels
#Antarctica #sealevel #ThwaitesGlacier

The 'Doomsday Glacier' is poised to lose its ice shelf this year. An Antarctic researcher explains what that means for global sea levels

Researchers have warned that the Thwaites Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in the world, is about to lose its eastern ice shelf. We spoke to marine geophysicist Robert Larter about what this means for the "Doomsday Glacier."

Live Science

gclef 4d ago

"Climate change is causing enormous amounts of ice to melt in West Antarctica. It's a huge driver of sea level rise worldwide. But the water is rising more quickly in some places than others. Galveston, Texas — thousands of miles away from Antarctica — is experiencing some of the fastest sea level rise in the world."

#Nature #Antarctica #Ocean #SeaLevel #Glaciers #Ice #Science #Climate #ClimateDiary #ClimateChange #GlobalWarming

Charlie McHenry May 21

“The real problem is there is no safe place…” A look at what happens to #NYC when (not if) the next ‘perfect storm’ hits the city. 25% under water, entire boroughs flooded, citizens trapped…lives will be lost. #PBS Terra covers the story and takes a look at mitigation strategies - all of which are predicated on older, no longer accurate models. This is not just a #NewYork problem. #GlobalWarming and the consequent #SeaLevel rise will threaten low-lying coastal areas everywhere - and we’re not ready. Maybe, just maybe, our government could be focusing on the imminent #ClimateCrisis instead of fighting unwelcome wars for Israel, planning ballrooms and triumphal arches, while rolling back alternative energy projects and undermining scientific research and reporting. IDK, that just seems like the logical and rational thing to do🤔 #ClimateChange #ClimateEmergency #GlobalWarming

https://youtube.com/watch?v=7_US-EEgH6c&si=oE4zChFz5ee228du

The Perfect Storm Hasn’t Happened Yet. But It Will.

YouTube

Charlie McHenry May 21

Scientists improve knowledge on sea level rise—and confirm it has been accelerating since 1960 - Even if increases in greenhouse gases are stabilized, the large inertia of the ocean and the world's ice means that sea level rise will continue for many centuries as the oceans slowly warm throughout their depths and land ice continues to melt. So…coastal areas in the USA and globally will be under water at some rapidly approaching future date. The resulting #ClimateMigration will be profound, with millions moving to dry ground. So Florida is screwed, likewise Louisiana and NYC. #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #SeaLevel #oceans #GlobalWarming https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-knowledge-sea.html

Scientists improve knowledge on sea level rise—and confirm it has been accelerating since 1960

Sea level rise is a direct consequence of human-induced climate change: global warming. It is relentless and very hard to stop. It arises from human-induced warming and the consequential expansion of the ocean, plus the addition of more and more water from melting glaciers and ice sheets. It will continue long into the future.

Phys.org

Ed Wiebe May 21

"Even if increases in greenhouse gases are stabilized, the large inertia of the ocean and the world's ice means that sea level rise will continue for many centuries as the oceans slowly warm throughout their depths and land ice continues to melt."

That if is carrying a lot of weight.

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-scientists-knowledge-sea.html

#ClimateChange #SeaLevel

Scientists improve knowledge on sea level rise—and confirm it has been accelerating since 1960

Phys.org

Dragofix May 21

Sea levels rising dramatically in some areas due to land subsidence https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sea-areas-due-subsidence.html

Sea level rise is swallowing US Mid-Atlantic farmland faster than expected, study finds https://phys.org/news/2026-05-sea-swallowing-mid-atlantic-farmland.html

#environment #sea #SeaLevel #SeaLevelRise

Sea levels rising dramatically in some areas due to land subsidence

Densely populated coastal regions in many parts of the world are particularly vulnerable to flooding. The sinking of land masses exacerbates the impacts of rising sea levels in these areas, according to a study by researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Tulane University.

Phys.org