As the ocean level increases throughout the world, a huge number of people, mostly those living at coastal regions, are facing a risk of total annihilation. Compared to 1993, 25% more water is now flowing into the seas from the Greenland Ice Sheet melt off. The water level is actually rising 50% faster than it did before.



The reports produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that the rate of increase in water level will remain constant at the end of the century. But there is evidence that the rate is already increasing “exponentially”. If global warming were to reach its threshold, Greenland alone has enough water mass to increase the water level by 7 meters. However, scientists disagree on this and they cannot predict when such events may take place. Peter Wadhams, a professor of ocean physics at the University of Oxford, says that there might be an increase of only a meter at the end of the century.

A new study published in Nature Climate Change shows the results of two different measurements of sea level rise. One is from the ocean expansion, changes of water stored on land and loss of land-based ice. The other is from the satellite altimetry which shows that there has been little acceleration in sea level rise. But other measurements show that the oceans are deepening more quickly.



In 1993, the sea level rose 2.2 mm/year, and now after 20 years, the rate is 3.3 mm/year. Earlier, thermal expansion caused half of the extra rise in water level. Now, it only causes 30% rise. However, experts urge that we interpret the results correctly.

It is the satellite era now, and there has been reported only a small change in the rate of increase of sea level. Other singular factors like the ice atop Greenland cannot be distinguished for research. So nobody can say for sure, if the rate of global sea rise is steady or not.

Nevertheless, it is important to become conscious and cautious about the rise in sea level, as this is a phenomenon that will continue even after global warming is stopped.