Saturday, August 29, 2015

World sea levels set to rise at least one metre over next 100-200 years, NASA says

1 meter = 3.28084 feet



Updated August 27, 2015

Sea levels are rising around the world and the latest satellite data suggests that one metre or more is unavoidable in the next 100-200 years, NASA scientists have said.

Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting faster than ever, and oceans are warming and expanding much more rapidly than they have in years past.
Key points:

Rising seas will have "profound impacts" around the world, NASA Earth Science Division director Michael Freilich said.

"More than 150 million people, most of them in Asia, live within one meter of present sea level," he said.

Low-lying US states such as Florida are at risk of disappearing, as are some of the world's major cities such as Singapore and Tokyo.

"It may entirely eliminate some Pacific island nations," he said.

There is no doubt that global coastlines will look very different in years to come, US space agency experts told reporters on a conference call to discuss the latest data on sea level rise.

"Right now we have committed to probably more than three feet (one metre) of sea level rise, just based on the warming we have had so far," said Steve Nerem of the University of Colorado, and leader of NASA's sea level rise team.

"It will very likely get worse in the future.

"The biggest uncertainty is predicting how quickly the polar ice sheets will melt."

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