Melting Ice Sheets Are Accelerating Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise from melting ice sheets is accelerating around the world.

--> The annual rate of the rise could more than triple every year by 2100.

--> Research shows that sea level rise from melting ice sheets is already responsible for half of the 7cm of increase observed since 1993.

-->The rise of the level of the oceans of about 3 millimeters per year right now could more than triple to reach 10 extra millimeters per year by 2100.

--> The sea level could rise by 65cm by the end of the century with serious implications for coastal cities and small islands states such as Fiji.

In the united states, almost 40% of the population lives in coastal areas where sea level plays a role in flooding, shoreline erosion and hazards from storms.

--> Globally, 8 of the world's 10 largest cities are near a coast. A figure in line with estimations by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on climate change.

Higher sea levels mean that destructive storms will push further inland which also means more frequent nuisance flooding.

--> Flooding is estimated to be from 300% to 900% more frequent in the next 50 years. Climate change is driving ocean rise through two phenomena, the rapid melting of ice at the poles such as glaciers and ice sheets.

And the increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This latter phenomenon warms the temperature of the water.

--> Hot water takes up more space, causing the ocean to expand. The oceans are absorbing more than 90% of the increased atmospheric heat, which is associated with emissions from human activity.

Sea levels will keep rising for many centuries at faster rates.

--> The rapid implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change is crucial to avoid temperature and sea levels from rising even faster.

The main goal of the agreement is to maintain the rise in temperature well below 2c, and as close as possible to 1.5c.

--> We need to reduce and eventually phase out greenhouse gas emissions which will help us avoid catastrophic events. Including rising sea levels, more droughts, floods and forest fires.