Sea Level Rise Is Faster Than Predicted, Previous Estimates Of Rate Of Future Sea Level Rise Were Likely Too Low According To New Research

November 5, 2012 in Geology & Climate

Sea levels worldwide have been rising at a much faster rate than has been predicted by climate change models. The reasons for this are clear according to University of Colorado geologist Bill Hay; there are many large feedback loops that are just beginning to kick in, that will contribute significantly to future sea level rise.

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The most recent official report from the IPCC was released back in 2007, and only predicted a global sea level rise of 0.2 to 0.5 meters by 2100. But current sea-level rise measurements are already meeting or exceeding the high end of that range, and have been suggesting a rise of at least one meter by 2100, possibly much more.

“What’s missing from the models used to forecast sea-level rise are critical feedbacks that speed everything up,” says Hay.

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