Sea-Level Rise Surges at End of Last Ice Age Strengthen Future Projections

Nature, 19 March 2025

Reconstructing wetlands from the last Ice Age has revealed periods of rapid sea-level rise equal to, and in some cases exceeding, future projections. By investigating sediment or “peat” from the North Sea, researchers filled gaps in the historical record and identified two periods of intense sea-level rise, peaking at nearly 9 mm per year around 10,300 years ago and 8 mm per year around 8,300 years ago. These two historic periods featured jumps in sea levels similar to, or even faster than, what is expected in the near future with current climate projections. The findings provide fresh insight into how ice sheets melted and sea level rose during the final stages of deglaciation, bolstering understanding of how the Earth’s system responds to climate change. Rapid sea level rise during the end of the last Ice Age shaped human settlement patterns, and could have impacts even more significant for coastal communities in coming decades, given large populations and urban centers in low-lying coastal regions.

Full paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08769-7
News and Views: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00800-1