Scientists Identify Key Drivers of Accelerating Sea Level Rise
An international team of climate researchers has identified the primary causes of global sea level rise over the past six decades, providing clarity on one of climate change's most significant threats. According to a study published in Science Advances, global sea levels have risen at an average rate of 2.06 millimeters per year since 1960, with the pace increasing to 3.94 millimeters per year between 2005 and 2023. The study attributes 43% of the rise to warming oceans, which expand as they heat. Melting ice from mountain glaciers, the Greenland Ice Sheet, and the Antarctic Ice Sheet contribute 27%, 15%, and 12% respectively, with changes in land water storage accounting for the remaining 3%. The research resolves a longstanding discrepancy between observed sea level rise and estimates from known causes, thanks to improved satellite measurements and analytical methods.