The global sea level is rising faster than ever before, with catastrophic consequences for the hundreds of millions of people who live in low-lying coastal areas. Sea levels are expected to rise by at least a foot over this century, with the highest rates occurring in places like Bangladesh, China and India. Sea level rise is a direct consequence of climate change caused by human activities, and it can have both short-term (i.e., within this century) and long-term effects.
The rate of sea level rise is driven by warming of the oceans (due to thermal expansion of water as it warms) and the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, which are directly related to greenhouse gas emissions. These processes are also impacted by changes in Earth’s rotation and gravitational field, as well as local land subsidence or uplift.
In urban settings along coastlines around the world, sea level rise threatens roads, bridges and subways, oil and gas wells, water supplies, power plants, sewage treatment plants and landfills. This is in addition to the stress that it creates for natural ecosystems, such as recreational areas, fisheries, coral reefs and wildlife habitat.
Health impacts include loss of livelihoods, displacement and increased risk for injury or disease due to flooding and erosion. Communities dependent on coastal agricultural lands may experience saltwater intrusion into drinking water systems, which can lead to reduced crop yields and loss of food security. Coastal communities home to decommissioned industrial uses and landfills can be exposed to legacy toxins from these facilities as they dissolve or leach into groundwater, affecting water quality and putting public health at risk.
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