Accelerating Global Sea Level Rise Hindered by US Research Cuts

The pace of global sea level rise is accelerating, and the US is impeding scientists’ ability to track this critical trend. According to a NASA analysis of satellite data, the annual rate has more than doubled in the past 30 years due to the impacts of climate change. The primary drivers are the oceans absorbing approximately 90% of the excess heat generated mainly from burning fossil fuels, which causes water to expand, and the melting of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets due to ocean warming. While melting ice sheets have historically contributed about two-thirds of long-term sea level rise, last year – the planet’s warmest on record – ocean warming became the dominant factor. As scientists worked to comprehend the implications of this shift for the future, the Trump administration reduced funding and laid off over 1,000 employees from NOAA, the nation’s leading weather and climate agency. This government-induced setback to crucial climate research raises concerns about the potential loss of vital data.