Seas are rising way faster than any time in past 2,800 years

[Rob L 3,811]

WASHINGTON — Sea levels on Earth are rising several times faster than they have in the past 2,800 years and are accelerating because of man-made global warming, according to new studies.

An international team of scientists dug into two dozen locations across the globe to chart gently rising and falling seas over centuries and millennia. Until the 1880s and the world's industrialization, the fastest seas rose was about 1 to 1.5 inches (3 to 4 centimeters) a century, plus or minus a bit. During that time global sea level really didn't get much higher or lower than 3 inches above or below the 2,000-year average.

But in the 20th century the world's seas rose 5.5 inches (14 centimeters). Since 1993 the rate has soared to a foot per century (30 centimeters). And two different studies published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said by 2100 that the world's oceans will rise between 11 to 52 inches (28 to 131 centimeters), depending on how much heat-trapping gas Earth's industries and vehicles expel.

"There's no question that the 20th century is the fastest," said Rutgers earth and planetary sciences professor Bob Kopp, lead author of the study that looked back at sea levels over the past three millennia. "It's because of the temperature increase in the 20th century which has been driven by fossil fuel use."

To figure out past sea levels and rates of rise and fall, scientists engaged in a "geological detective story," said study co-author Ben Horton, a Rutgers marine scientist. They went around the world looking at salt marshes and other coastal locations and used different clues to figure out what the sea level was at different times. They used single cell organisms that are sensitive to salinity, mangroves, coral, sediments and other clues in cores, Horton said. On top of that they checked their figures by easy markers such as the rise of lead with the start of the industrial age and isotopes only seen in the atomic age.

When Kopp and colleagues charted the sea level rise over the centuries — they went back 3,000 years, but aren't confident in the most distant 200 years — they saw Earth's sea level was on a downward trend until the industrial age.

Sea level rise in the 20th century is mostly man-made, the study authors said. A separate, not-yet-published study by Kopp and others found since 1950, about two-thirds of the U.S. nuisance coastal floods in 27 locales have the fingerprints of man-made warming.

And if seas continue to rise, as projected, another 18 inches of sea level rise is going to cause lots of problems and expense, especially with surge during storms, said study co-author Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany.

"There is such a tight relationship between sea level and temperature," Horton said. "I wish there wasn't, then we wouldn't be as worried."

The link to temperature is basic science, the study's authors said. Warm water expands. Cold water contracts. The scientists pointed to specific past eras when temperatures and sea rose and fell together.

The Kopp study and a separate one published by another team projected future sea level rise based on various techniques. They came to the same general estimates, despite using different methods, said Anders Levermann, a co-author of the second paper and a researcher at the Potsdam Institute.

If greenhouse gas pollution continues at the current pace, both studies project increases of about 22 to 52 inches (57 to 131 centimeters). If countries fulfill the treaty agreed upon last year in Paris and limit further warming to another 2 degrees Fahrenheit, sea level rise would be in the 11 to 22 inch range (28 to 56 centimeters).

Jonathan Overpeck at the University of Arizona, who wasn't part of the studies, praised them, saying they show a clear cause and effect between warming and sea level rise.

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Online:

Journal: http://www.pnas.org

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Follow Seth Borenstein at http://twitter.com/borenbears and his work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/seth-borenstein

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

why were they rising faster 2800 years ago. Very little imprint from man back then right ?

[Expat1 971]

"they went back 3,000 years, but aren't confident in the most distant 200 years" seems a good way to dismiss data that doesn't fit

If there had just been enough taxes and regulations and idle liberals who need grants to use their education or they'll starve and die we could have stayed in the Ice Ages

Now I wonder - how fast do seas rise at the end of an Ice Age? Is it a gentle rise? Are seas rising faster or slower?

I just wish these grant-sucking geniuses who have spent millions on these climate prediction tools could accurately predict the weather a few days out. That would actually be useful.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Expat1

[ExPatty 502]

Oh well.

Considering people individually cannot prepare for retirement, considering collectively we seem utterly incapable of living without perpetual deficits, I have as I have always had a very low confidence in the world truly getting these things in check. What we can push off for tomorrow we do.

Edited February 23, 2016 by ExPatty

[Rob L 3,811]

"they went back 3,000 years, but aren't confident in the most distant 200 years" seems a good way to dismiss data that doesn't fit

If there had just been enough taxes and regulations and idle liberals who need grants to use their education or they'll starve and die we could have stayed in the Ice Ages

Now I wonder - how fast do seas rise at the end of an Ice Age? Is it a gentle rise? Are seas rising faster or slower?

I just wish these grant-sucking geniuses who have spent millions on these climate prediction tools could accurately predict the weather a few days out. That would actually be useful.

You seem quick to dismiss real science, but bring no facts of your own

[eieio 1,594]

The carbon credit scam must be drying up. Get your carbon credits….get your carbon credits here!!

I wonder when we can get carbon credits at the ballgame? Something, anything to ease the guilt.

[Rob L 3,811]

The carbon credit scam must be drying up. Get your carbon credits….get your carbon credits here!!

I wonder when we can get carbon credits at the ballgame? Something, anything to ease the guilt.

Again..no science..just bs

[Rob L 3,811]

97–98% of the most published climate researchers say humans are very likely causing most global warming.[17] In another study 97.4% of publishing specialists in climate change say that human activity is a significant contributing factor in changing mean global temperatures.[16]

why were they rising faster 2800 years ago. Very little imprint from man back then right ?

that is not what the article said, please re read

[TBoneTX 45,291]

Logic then would seem to state that we should kill all human beings in order to Save The Planet.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Trump is going to fix the commie libs and their carbon credit scams as soon as he gets elected!

[Expat1 971]

You seem quick to dismiss real science, but bring no facts of your own

The earth is currently and has for the last few years been cooling, resulting in switching the "panic term" from Global Warming" to "climate change". You and those like you are the ones who swallowed the load.

The "real science" missed that somehow. That's why Al Gore hasnt come up for air in years, except in small circle-jerks of his closest followers.

In the east coast of the US the sea level is rising, in Taiwan the sea level is falling. Do you know why? Is it water temperature fluctuation? Exhaust emissions? Differences in taxes and regulations? Its because the land masses move einstein. I dig here in my backyard and I dig up seashells. This used to be one big ancient seabed. Im not online screaming that this sea level fell off because of lack of taxes and regulation. It sounds stupid to me.

Summary: Only a group of idiots would take ground based data and draw conclusions about sea levels from it. Its only in the last few years that the "scientists" figured that out and started measuring it from space.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Who to believe? International team of scientists or obstinate internet guy from Saudi Arabia. Tough call.

[Dashinka 24,499]

9798% of the most published climate researchers say humans are very likely causing most global warming.[17] In another study 97.4% of publishing specialists in climate change say that human activity is a significant contributing factor in changing mean global temperatures.[16]

This seems like a self perpetuating issue relative to the "most published climate researchers". Sort of like they need to say this to keep the research funds rolling in.

[Rob L 3,811]

The earth is currently and has for the last few years been cooling, resulting in switching the "panic term" from Global Warming" to "climate change". You and those like you are the ones who swallowed the load.

The "real science" missed that somehow. That's why Al Gore hasnt come up for air in years, except in small circle-jerks of his closest followers.

In the east coast of the US the sea level is rising, in Taiwan the sea level is falling. Do you know why? Is it water temperature fluctuation? Exhaust emissions? Differences in taxes and regulations? Its because the land masses move einstein. I dig here in my backyard and I dig up seashells. This used to be one big ancient seabed. Im not online screaming that this sea level fell off because of lack of taxes and regulation. It sounds stupid to me.

Summary: Only a group of idiots would take ground based data and draw conclusions about sea levels from it. Its only in the last few years that the "scientists" figured that out and started measuring it from space.

The earth is currently and has for the last few years been cooling, resulting in switching the "panic term" from Global Warming" to "climate change". You and those like you are the ones who swallowed the load.

Where is the evidence that the earth has been cooling?

In the east coast of the US the sea level is rising, in Taiwan the sea level is falling. Do you know why? Is it water temperature fluctuation? Exhaust emissions? Differences in taxes and regulations? Its because the land masses move einstein. I dig here in my backyard and I dig up seashells. This used to be one big ancient seabed. Im not online screaming that this sea level fell off because of lack of taxes and regulation. It sounds stupid to me.

Evidence that sea levels in Taiwan are sinking?

[Rob L 3,811]

Logic then would seem to state that we should kill all human beings in order to Save The Planet.

OR less draconion:

Quit being duped by the energy lobby

Shift our focus to investing in non carbon alternative energy and smart grids

Plan our land development to accommodate the sea level rise