IPCC Projections of 2100 Sea-level Rise May Be Too Conservative

Ocean Science, February 2
Ice sheets and oceans take centuries to fully respond to changes in greenhouse gas concentrations and atmospheric temperatures, and the amount of sea level rise that will take place by 2100 is only the beginning of this response, which will take place over many centuries.  New models that correlate average global surface temperatures from 1850 to 2017 with the rate of observed global sea level rise produce more accurate measurements.  Going forward, and using this method for future projections suggests that the maximum projected global sea level rise of 1.1 meters in recent IPCC reports is an underestimate, and the maximum level may well be higher, even not taking into account abrupt processes such as potential collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS).

https://os.copernicus.org/articles/17/181/2021/

Compiled by Amy Imdieke.
Pam Pearson

Recent Posts

Seasonal Glacier Water Supply Becoming Less Reliable for Cities in Asia

Nature Communications, 15 May 2026 Glaciers and snowpack currently help reduce water shortages for many…

5 days ago

Increasingly Unpredictable River Floods in Indus River Basin

Communications Earth & Environment, 14 May 2026 River floods in the upper Indus basin are…

5 days ago

Thawing Permafrost Increases Flood and Landslide Risks in the Western Himalaya

NPJ Natural Hazards, 8 May 2026 Rapid warming increases permafrost thaw and the risk of…

5 days ago

Impact of 2022 Heatwave and 2023 Extreme Summer Snowfall on the Western Himalaya

Scientific Reports, 29 April 2026 Extreme weather events increasingly shape how Himalayan glaciers gain and…

5 days ago

Glacier Retreat Increases Likelihood of Landslides and Tsunamis

Science, 6 May 2026 An August 2025 landslide in Tracy Arm fjord, Alaska, generated one…

2 weeks ago

Record-Breaking Glacier Loss in Central Asia in 2025

Environmental Research, 30 April 2026 Central Asia’s glaciers experienced their most severe mass loss year…

2 weeks ago