Scientists have discovered that the rates of sea-level rise we are seeing today started with the Industrial Age, while an NOAA study shows that the U.S. coastline can expect a disastrous sea-level rise of up to a foot by 2050.
Industrial age sparked sea level rise
Scientists have now nailed down a date for when the rise in sea levels now present in the modern age began, and like the other factors that have changed in the climate, it can be specifically traced to the Industrial Age.
The study was undertaken by an international team of scientists, including researchers from Rutgers, who nailed down an exact date for when sea levels began rising around the globe. 1863 was identified as the year sea-level rise began to emerge as the industrial age intensified. Science Daily reported that the date coincides with evidence for early ocean warming and glacier melt.
The results of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Researchers consulted a global database of sea-level records that span the last 2000 years in the study. Scientists say their research will help local and regional planners prepare for sea-level rise in the future.
As the Industrial Revolution kicked off, particularly in 1863, the earliest evidence in the United States was noted in the mid-Atlantic region from the mid to late 19th century. Later, researchers said that in Canada and Europe, sea-level rise began emerging by the mid-20th century.
U.S. coastlines to see up to 1 foot of sea level rise by 2050
In the next 30 years, the United States coastline could see up to a foot of sea-level rise, according to a report led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released mid-February 2022.
On average, the U.S. will see as much sea-level rise by 2050 as it had experienced in the last century, the NOAA report said, adding sea level rise leads to increased coastal flooding, even in the absence of heavy rain or storms.
The NOAA said the Sea Level Rise Technical Report “provides the most up-to-date sea level rise projections for all U.S. states and territories by decade for the next 100 years and beyond.”
The report’s projections say sea levels in the United States could rise an additional 10-12 inches by 2050. The report said that the specific amounts would vary regionally, mainly due to land height changes.
A sea-level rise of up to a foot would create a “profound increase in the frequency of coastal flooding, even in the absence of storms or heavy rainfall,” the NOAA said.
“By 2050, moderate flooding – which is typically disruptive and damaging by today’s weather, sea level, and infrastructure standards – is expected to occur more than ten times as often as it does today,” said Nicole LeBoeuf, NOAA National Ocean Service Director. “These numbers mean a change from a single event every 2-5 years to multiple events each year, in some places.”
Likely to double by 2100
Without any steps being taken to mitigate climate change, the NOAA report projected that “at least two feet of sea-level rise is likely by 2100.” However, the NOAA added that reducing emissions now could lower future risk. Earth-monitoring systems are vital for tracking future sea-level rise.
