Articles tagged with Sea Level Rise
A new research project will explore the potential for low-lying coral atoll islands to survive the impact of rising sea levels, contradicting previous forecasts. The five-year £2.8m ARISE project will conduct extensive field tests and laboratory experiments in the Maldives and Pacific.
A Cornell University-led team used an underwater robot to explore the ocean conditions beneath an Antarctic ice shelf, discovering a new circulation pattern involving a jet funneling water sideways through crevasses. The findings improve modeling of ice shelf melting and freezing rates, which can impact global sea-level rise.
New research suggests that meltwater flowing out to sea from beneath Antarctic glaciers is accelerating their retreat and contributing to global sea-level rise. The study's simulations indicate that this process could make a significant contribution to sea-level rise by 2300, potentially up to 15%.
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is projected to melt at an increased rate, even under ambitious climate targets. Sea levels may rise by up to five meters, impacting millions of people living near the coast. The study's findings highlight the need for continued efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to sea-level rise.
A team of researchers warns that global coastal adaptations are inadequate to address climate change threats, citing short-sighted policies and projects. The experts call for decisive action by the international policy community to identify and tackle key risk areas.
Researchers found that reversing current warming trend within centuries may prevent ice sheet tipping. However, temporary overshooting can still lead to significant sea-level rise. The study suggests that acting fast and keeping temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius is crucial.
A new study finds that four out of five Miami-Dade County residents may face disruption or displacement due to sea-level rise, with lower-income people bearing the brunt. As habitable areas shrink and housing prices rise, only a small number of affluent residents can relocate, while many others are trapped in low-lying properties.
Researchers found that mature mangroves can tolerate high rates of subsidence and sea level rise, but sediment availability is crucial for their effectiveness. In areas with insufficient sediment, mangroves' ability to stabilize coastlines will deteriorate, leading to inland migration of communities.
Research on sea-level rise's impact on freshwater mussels reveals that high salt concentrations can be toxic to young mussels. The study provides guidance for conservation programs addressing climate-induced sea level rise and saltwater intrusion, affecting numerous vulnerable species.
A new study finds that most coastal communities will experience 100-year floods annually by the end of the century, even under a moderate carbon emission scenario. Rising sea levels will lead to an increase in extreme flood events worldwide.
A new study published in the Journal of Glaciology suggests that prior attempts to evaluate the mass of Antarctic ice shelves may have overestimated their thickness. The researchers found that on average, the Antarctic ice shelves are nearly 6% thinner than previously assumed, a difference of about 17 meters.
A team of international scientists found that coral reefs, marshes, and mangroves could be destroyed within the next 30 years from rising sea levels. Coastal habitats are essential for protecting coastlines, trapping carbon, and supporting millions of coastal residents.
A new study published in Nature warns that coastal wetlands and coral reef islands are unlikely to survive at current rates of sea-level rise exceeding 7 millimeters per year. The study suggests that global warming must be limited to less than 2 degrees Celsius for these ecosystems to have a chance.
A new study suggests that emphasizing the need for energy independence and environmental stewardship could change people's minds about climate change. The research found that those who deny climate change often focus on personal experiences and local issues, but may not be aware of the scale of the problem.
A global research team warns that rapid sea level rise and coastal habitat retreat will happen again if warming levels rise above Paris Agreement targets. Coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, marshes, and coral reefs are essential to protect coastlines, trap carbon, and sustain millions of coastal residents.
A new study reveals massive urban expansions throughout the contiguous US, particularly on the Atlantic Coast, have led to significant tidal flat erosion. The research highlights the critical impact of human activities on tidal flat environments, providing important implications for coastal land use and planning.
Researchers develop a new model predicting up to twice the original amount of subglacial water may be draining into the ocean, accelerating glacial melt and sea level rise. The theory uses satellite measurements and is a simple equation that can predict exfiltration in a fraction of a second on a laptop.
Research reveals US municipal bonds are priced higher for communities with larger Black populations, despite lack of correlation with climate risk. This association adds up to an estimated $900 million cost penalty per year across all Black Americans.
A study found that the silver rice rat, an endangered Florida Keys species, shifted its habitat in response to sea level rise, moving to higher ground at a rate slightly greater than the observed rise in sea level. The rats' diet and environment are highly restricted, making them sensitive to changes.
A Stanford analysis of planned relocations worldwide shows that community engagement is key to successful outcomes, with slower-paced efforts yielding better results for small communities. The study also found that distance and horizontal movement made little difference for livelihood outcomes.
A new study reveals that large portions of Greenland were ice-free tundra landscapes with trees and woolly mammoths 416,000 years ago. The melting caused at least five feet of sea level rise during a moderate warming period.
A University of California, Riverside-led team found that anthropogenic aerosol-driven changes in ocean circulation and interbasin heat transport are more effective in altering oceanic heat distribution than those driven by globally increasing greenhouse gases. This advance in understanding will help develop climate mitigation strategies.
A new study reveals that human activities such as groundwater withdrawal have shifted the Earth's rotational pole nearly a meter over two decades. This shift is caused by the redistribution of mass due to water movement, with implications for climate change and sea level rise.
Despite years of research, few salt-tolerant crops have been released commercially. KAUST researchers argue that increasing crop salinity tolerance is essential due to climate change impacts. New genetic tools and approaches like grafting or domesticating wild species can help develop more resilient crops.
Researchers investigate the impact of oceanic warming on Antarctic ice shelves, highlighting the role of circumpolar deep water in causing melting and calving. The study emphasizes the need for improved understanding and modeling to predict future sea levels and their effects on coastal communities.
New research reveals that sections of the Chesapeake Bay are sinking at rates of nearly a quarter inch per year, exacerbating flooding risks from rising sea levels and storm surges. The study estimates that 454 to 600 square kilometers face a risk of flooding by 2100, highlighting the need for updated flood maps.
The seven worst years for polar ice sheet melting and losing ice have occurred during the past decade, with 2019 being the worst year on record. Global heating is driving up sea levels and coastal flooding around the world, with melting ice sheets accounting for a quarter of all sea level rise.
A study published in Scientific Reports warns that sea level rises could lead to the flooding of sea turtle breeding grounds in Australia, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and the USA. The findings suggest that flooding could contribute to the loss of turtle nesting sites and negatively impact turtle populations.
A study by Ohio State University researchers found Steenstrup Glacier in Greenland is retreating at an unprecedented rate, with a 5-mile retreat and quadrupled velocity between 2018 and 2021. The glacier's rapid change reveals that even long-term stable glaciers are susceptible to sudden and rapid retreat due to warming waters.
Researchers at Harvard University found that rising sea levels and subsidence of Greenland's land mass made the Viking settlement more prone to flooding, leading to their abandonment. The study, published in PNAS, suggests that the Vikings were faced with a myriad of challenges, including environmental change, social unrest, economic t...
A team led by Virginia Tech's Manoochehr Shirzaei has developed high-resolution digital maps to monitor land subsidence and sea-level rise, revealing vulnerable areas along the Atlantic East Coast. The data supports flood risk management and informs climate change projections, helping to refine models for hurricanes and storms.
Researchers found record-breaking rates of sea-level rise of about a half an inch per year since 2010, three times higher than the global average over the same period. The acceleration is attributed to man-made climate change and natural climate variability.
A recent VIMS study uses a new computer model to simulate the impact of sea-level rise on coastal carbon storage. The research found that moderate rates of sea-level rise enhance plant productivity and carbon preservation, while rapid rise rates can lead to marsh collapse and decreased carbon storage.
A 50-year study on Great Sippewissett Marsh found that more than 90% of the world's salt marshes will be underwater by 2100 due to sea-level rise. Despite attempts to adapt, low-lying wetlands are unlikely to migrate landward, and human development may exacerbate the problem.
Salt marshes along the US East Coast have accumulated soil more quickly over the past century to keep up with rising waters. However, this rate of growth will eventually slow down as sea levels continue to rise, and many coastal wetlands may not be able to adapt in time.
A major conference will discuss the human cost of heritage loss due to climate change and explore how behavioural science can inform choices about what should be saved. International scholars and policy experts will examine how to measure the impact of Loss and Damage on coastal heritage.
Scientists have calculated that the Amundsen Sea Embayment in West Antarctica has lost over 3,000 billion tonnes of ice over a 25-year period. The ice loss is attributed to extreme snowfall events and changes in ocean temperature and currents, contributing up to nine millimetres to global sea levels.
Millions of people living in river deltas face risk due to human activities such as damming and levee construction. Climate change is just one part of the story; local resource management can have a greater impact on delta sustainability.
A new study highlights Asian megacities like Chennai, Kolkata, Yangon, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Manila as facing significant risks from sea level rise by 2100. The research incorporates natural sea level fluctuations to show how climate change amplifies this effect, leading to more frequent extreme flooding events.
A research team led by Britney Schmidt deployed an underwater robot, Icefin, to explore the Kamb Ice Stream in Antarctica. The robot's findings reveal unprecedented views of ice, ocean, and sea floor interactions, which can improve models of sea-level rise.
Researchers will collect data on flood risk and septic health to identify areas most at risk of failure due to climate change. The team aims to provide data-driven solutions for equitable climate adaptation measures.
Research from Princeton University's engineering school finds that climate change is making sequential damaging hurricanes more likely, with areas like the Gulf Coast facing double hits as frequently as once every 3 years. Rising sea levels and increased precipitation are driving this trend.
Researchers propose using engineering principles to raise island heights or build new ones to help the Maldives withstand long-term sea level rise due to climate change. The approach could allow the entire population to live on just two islands built at a significantly higher elevation than natural islands.
A new study warns that an irreversible loss of West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets may be imminent if global temperature change cannot be stabilized below 1.8°C, leading to rapid sea level rise.
A new study reveals that glaciers in Greenland move through a complex system involving basal temperate ice and varied landscapes. The research uses computer modeling to better understand the movement of the world's second-largest ice sheet, which could lead to more accurate predictions of sea-level rise.
Humans have added approximately 900 square miles of land to urban coastlines since 2000, primarily for industrial ports and luxury residential areas. The study found that coastal wetlands are particularly hard-hit, with more than half of tidal flats lost in the Yellow Sea due to reclamation.
A recent NTU Singapore study reconstructed the history of The Sundaland using paleogeography and population genetics to show that rapid sea-level rise drove early settlers to migrate, increasing genetic diversity. This finding provides insight into how climate change can profoundly impact human populations.
A new project led by the University of Exeter will assess climate change impacts on Cayman Islands sea turtles, including rising temperatures, storminess, and sea-level rise. The team will develop ways to protect turtles and improve coastal management.
A new study finds that many US coastal communities rely on low estimates of sea level rise, omitting high-end scenarios that could result in costly and dangerous underestimates. The study's authors hope to identify and address gaps in how communities use the most recent assessments of sea level rise in their policy decisions.
A new study using high-resolution land elevation data finds the biggest increases in inundation will occur after the first 2 meters of sea level rise, covering more than twice as much land as older elevation models predicted. Coastal communities have less time to prepare for sea level rise than expected.
A new study reveals that recent high temperatures on the Greenland ice sheet are unique compared to the past millennium. The researchers updated existing ice core data with information from the most recent decades, showing a warming trend of 1.5 degrees Celsius above the long-term average.
A team of researchers found that coastal habitats can adapt to rapid sea-level rise by utilizing abundant sediment, which can help salt marshes survive. The study's key finding highlights the importance of re-infusing sediment into estuary systems when dredging is necessary.
The years 2001 to 2011 were the warmest in the last thousand years, with temperatures 1.5 °C higher than in the 20th century at high elevations of the Greenland Ice Sheet. This warming is surprisingly pronounced and decoupled from the rest of the Arctic.
New research from the University of Sheffield reveals genetically modifying rice to reduce stomata can make it more salt-resistant and survive in environments with high salt levels. This adaptation could help tackle food insecurity caused by climate change.
A new study found that glaciers are losing mass at a rate higher than previously estimated, with small glaciers being the most impacted. By 2100, 49% of the world's glaciers could disappear due to global warming, leading to a 9-cm sea level rise under 1.5°C conditions.
Researchers have found that a weak ocean gyre near the Thwaites Ice Shelf allows more warm water to access its base, causing it to melt. This process is driven by waters from nearby melting ice shelves and can impact the stability of adjacent ice shelves, contributing to global sea-level rise.
Research shows that even optimistic temperature targets can lead to catastrophic sea-level rise, disproportionately affecting low-lying nations. An interdisciplinary team highlights the need for justice-focused policies to minimize impacts of sea-level rise.
A new study found that 39 out of 43 California's coastal airports have assets exposed to projected flooding by 2100. Sixteen airports have assets within their boundaries, while 23 have assets outside their jurisdiction at risk from flooding. The study highlights the need for collaborative climate adaptation plans to address this issue.
Researchers used high-resolution radar systems to reconstruct past ice streams in Greenland, revealing they can 'shut down' rapidly. This insight offers new information on the future behavior of ice streams and how it affects sea-level rise predictions.
A new study models likely future cliff retreat rates of two rock coasts in the UK, finding that rock coasts are likely to retreat at a rate not seen for 3,000-5,000 years. The researchers predict that rock coast cliffs will retreat by at least 10-22 meters inland due to accelerating sea level rise.