Sea Level Rise in 2024 Surpassed Projections, NASA Reports
NASA attributes the unexpected increase to record ocean warming and accelerated ice melt, both driven by human-induced climate change.
- NASA's analysis reveals a 0.59 cm rise in global sea levels in 2024, exceeding the projected 0.43 cm increase.
- The rise is primarily due to thermal expansion from record ocean temperatures and melting glaciers and polar ice caps.
- 2024 was the hottest year on record since data collection began in 1850, intensifying climate-driven impacts on oceans.
- Over the past 30 years, the global sea level has risen by 10 cm, with the annual rate of increase nearly doubling since 1993.
- The continued rise in sea levels poses significant risks to coastal and island populations, with projections suggesting up to 50 cm of rise by 2050.