"Sea Level Rise Now" News Digest

Article Synopsis – Five years ago, a committee appointed by the National Academy of Sciences was charged with assessing future sea level for the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington. The committee’s report projected average or midrange estimates of sea-level rise relative to 2000 of about 6 inches by 2030, 12 inches by 2050 and 36 inches by 2100. This report was based on data available in 2010. Antarctica is the largest repository of ice on the planet and contains about 90 percent of all the fresh water on Earth. In the last six years, the Antarctic ice shelves have shown signs of being much less stable than previously thought, which would add significantly to sea level rise, making the committee’s assessment far too conservative. To read the actual article click here.