Archive · 20 May 2025
Study: Rising Seas Likely Despite Climate Targets
Imagine the Earth is getting a fever.
The oceans are getting warmer, and ice is melting, like a giant ice cream cone.
Even if we stop the fever from getting too high, the ocean will still rise.
Scientists have found that the ice sheets, like those in Greenland and Antarctica, are melting faster than they thought.
If the world warms up too much, these ice sheets could melt a lot, making the sea level rise even higher.
This could cause problems for cities near the coast.
To stop this, we need to reduce the Earth's fever and cool down the planet to slow down the sea level rise.
Sea level rise is accelerating, with the rate doubling in the last three decades.
Even limiting warming to 1.5°C may cause difficult-to-adapt-to sea level rise.
Ice sheets are melting faster than previously estimated, contributing significantly to rising sea levels.
Historical data shows that past warming periods led to significantly higher sea levels.
To slow sea level rise, long-term temperature goals need to be near or below +1°C.
- Who
- Researchers, including Chris Stokes from Durham University, studied sea level rise.
- What
- Studies show that sea levels are rising, and will likely continue to rise even with efforts to limit global warming.
- When
- Sea levels are expected to rise significantly in the second half of the 21st century and beyond.
- Where
- The research focuses on global sea level rise and its impact on coastal cities and regions.
- Why
- Ice sheets and warming oceans, caused by climate change, are major contributors to sea level rise.
- Targeted Global Warming Limit
- 1.5°C
- Projected Sea Level Rise Rate by 2100
- 1 cm/year
- Additional Sea Level Rise by 2050 causing $1 Trillion in damage
- 20 cm (7.8 inches)
- People living within 1 meter of sea level
- 230 million
- Ice melt from Greenland and West Antarctica
- 400 billion tonnes/year
- Temperature rise expected by end of century on current trends
- 2.7°C