Sea Levels Rising Faster Than Expected

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 10, 2009 6:16 PM CDT

(Newser) – Top climate scientists say sea levels are rising faster than expected, the Times of London reports. The world's oceans will rise about 3 feet by the end of the century, double the amount predicted in a 2007 estimate by the UN. The new figure, blamed on melting ice sheets, could prove catastrophic for the hundreds of millions of people who live in the world's low-lying areas, the scientists say.

"It's rising much faster than in the models," said a researcher at a Copenhagen conference. "We are setting in motion processes now that will lead to sea level rises for centuries to come. They will burden many generations coming after us."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Shikaras, or traditional gondolas, are seen on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, India, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin)

British Environment Minister Hilary Benn joins other ministers and representatives from a dozen nations on a fact-finding visit to the area around Norway's Troll Research Station Monday, Feb. 23, 2009 (AP Photo/Charles J.Hanley)

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I'm afraid it's quite likely we get a substantially higher rise. Even for a low-emission scenario the basic estimate here is above one metre. - Stefan Rahmstorf,
Potsdam Institute for Climate Change

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

Guest

Mar 11, 2009 4:20 AM CDT

Cool. Sounds like fun. I can't wait. If humans cannot deal intelligently with our world, the world will deal chaotically with us. No one will say it'll be boring. Now, where will the new oceanfront be....?

Guest

Mar 11, 2009 4:19 AM CDT

Nobody. Just ignore this.

Hip

Mar 10, 2009 11:43 PM CDT

Who are these so-called "top scientists" and who is this unnamed "researcher"? No names, no credibility. How come they can predict what will happen in 100 years but they can't tell me if it's going to rain tomorrow? Is CO2 the only thing affecting global climate? Ridiculous!

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