Sea levels set to keep rising for centuries even if emissions targets met

Sea level rise is set to challenge human civilization for centuries to come, even if internationally agreed climate goals are met and planet-warming emissions are then immediately eliminated, researchers have found.

A potential scenario of future sea level rise in South
Beach, Miami, Florida, with a global temperature rise of 2C.

The lag time between rising global temperatures and the knock-on impact of coastal inundation means that the world will be dealing with ever-rising sea levels into the 2300s, regardless of prompt action to address the climate crisis, according to the new study.

Even if governments meet their commitments from the landmark 2015 Paris climate agreement, the first 15-year period of the deal will still result in enough emissions that would cause sea levels to increase by around 20cm by the year 2300.

Read the story from The Guardian by Oliver Milman - “Sea levels set to keep rising for centuries even if emissions targets met.”