The sea level could rise 50 feet from here 2300

The global average sea level could rise nearly 8 feet by 2100 and 50 feet before 2300 if greenhouse gas emissions remain high and if humanity has proven to be unfortunate , according to a study of sea level change and predictions of Rutgers and other scientists.

Since the beginning of the century, the average sea level has increased by about 0.2 feet. According to the study published in the Annual Review of Under Emissions, the central estimates of the overall global level of the sea from different analyzes range from an additional 1.4 to 2.8 feet by 2100, from 2.8 to 5, 4 additional feet by 2150 and 6 to 14 feet before 2300. Environment and resources.

And with 11% of the planet's 7.6 billion people living in areas less than 10 meters above sea level, rising sea levels pose a major risk to coastal , infrastructure and ecosystems around the world, says the study.

The rise in sea level varies by location and time and scientists have developed a series of methods to reconstruct past changes and project future changes. However, despite divergent approaches, a clear story is emerging for the coming decades: From 2000 to 2050, the average ocean level of the planet will most likely rise from 6 to 10 inches, but it is extremely unlikely that it increases more than 18 inches. Beyond 2050, projections are more sensitive to changes in greenhouse gas emissions and methods of projecting changes in sea level.

"We know a lot about past and future changes in sea level and many uncertainties. But uncertainty is no reason to ignore the challenge, "said Robert E. Kopp, co-author of the study, a professor in the Department of Earth and Planet Sciences at Rutgers University (New York). Brunswick) and Director of the Earth, Ocean Institute, Rutgers. and the sciences of the atmosphere. "Defining carefully what is known and what is uncertain is essential to manage the risks associated with sea level rise for the world's coasts."

Scientists have used case studies from Atlantic City, New Jersey and Singapore to explain how current methods of reconstructing sea level change can limit future global and local projections. They also discussed methods for using scientific sea level projections and how specific projections can lead to new sea level research questions.

According to the study, much of the sea level rise in the 20th century, including the bulk of the global increase since 1975, is linked to global warming caused by climate change. # 39; man.

Kopp led the journal with Benjamin P. Horton, a former Rutgers professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Andra J. Garner, an assistant professor of research at Rutgers' Department of Earth Sciences and Planets, and other scientists at Boston College and Nanyang Technological University.

Source: Rutgers University-New Brunswick