Scientists Explain 3.94 mm-a-Year Sea Rise, Resolving 60-Year Measurement Gap
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · May 23
Scientists Explain 3.94 mm-a-Year Sea Rise, Resolving 60-Year Measurement Gap
3 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · May 23
Global sea levels rose 2.06 millimeters a year on average since 1960, but the rate nearly doubled to 3.94 millimeters in 2005-2023, according to a new Science Advances study.
Warming seawater accounted for 43% of the rise, making thermal expansion the biggest driver, while mountain glaciers contributed 27%, Greenland 15%, Antarctica 12%, and land water storage 3%.
Since 1993, faster melting in Greenland, Antarctica and glaciers has increasingly driven the acceleration, even as ocean warming remains the largest single contributor.
Updated post-2015 satellite corrections, better tide-gauge land-motion measurements and improved ice-loss estimates closed the long-standing gap between observed sea rise and calculated causes.
Researchers said the improved accounting strengthens confidence that sea levels will keep rising for centuries because oceans warm slowly and large ice sheets continue melting long after temperatures increase.
With the sea-level budget finally balanced, what is the next great mystery in climate science to solve?
As melting ice slows Earth's rotation, what other planetary-scale consequences have we yet to discover?
If 99% of coastal risk assessments are wrong, how can we recalculate which cities are truly safe?
Closing the 60-Year Sea Level Rise Measurement Gap: The 2026 Breakthrough and Its Global Impacts
Overview
In 2026, scientists achieved a major breakthrough by closing a 60-year gap in global sea level rise measurements. This new understanding reveals that human-driven climate change is causing sea levels to rise faster, doubling from 2 to 4 millimeters per year since 1960. The acceleration of sea level rise is making floods worse and threatening coastal communities worldwide. Thanks to this comprehensive research, experts can now better predict future changes, which is crucial for developing effective strategies to protect vulnerable areas and adapt to the ongoing impacts of climate change.