15 Years From Now, Our Impact On Regional Sea Level Will Be Clear

15 Years From Now, Our Impact On Regional Sea Level Will Be Clear A king tide in New Zealand, part of a project documenting what future sea level rise might look like. Witness King Tides/Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA

Human activity is driving sea levels higher. Australia’s seas are likely to rise by around 70 centimetres by 2100 if nothing is done to combat climate change. But 2100 can seem a long way off.

At the moment, regional sea-level rise driven by warming oceans and melting ice is hidden by natural variability such as the El Niño, which causes year-to-year changes in sea level of several centimetres.

So at any particular place, the sea level might go up in one year, and down in the next. On Australia’s northwest coast, for example, the sea level was three centimetres below normal during 1998, but four centimetres above normal the following year.

At the same time, human-caused climate change is driving sea level relentlessly upwards in most regions, eventually pushing it far outside the bounds of historical variation. But when will the difference become clear?

Our new analysis of sea-level projections published in Nature Climate Change today indicates that regional sea-level rise will be generally noticeable before 2030. By then the average sea-level rise globally will be about 13 centimetres higher than the average sea level calculated between 1986 and 2005.

15 Years From Now, Our Impact On Regional Sea Level Will Be Clear The blue curve shows projected sea level, the red curve shows the same projections once year-to-year variations have been removed. The grey and black lines show the range of natural variability. The asterisk denotes the time of emergence when sea level moves beyond the realm of natural variability.

Sea-level rise: depends on your perspective

First, it’s important to note that global sea-level rise is already attributed to anthropogenic climate change.

Like temperature changes, the sea-level changes are not uniform across the world. One region may experience a very different sea-level change from other regions.

When averaged around the globe, sea level has been rising at a rate of about 1.7 millimetres per year between 1901 and 2010, and about 3.2 millimetres per year between 1993 and 2014.

This is a clear signal of climate change, driven by expansion of ocean waters as they warm and from the increase in the mass of the ocean as water is added from glaciers and ice sheets. Over recent decades, these changes are largely a result of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases.

As well as this gradual and relatively steady rise in global sea levels, in any part of the ocean there are also natural variations in sea level. This is associated with climate phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña, storm surges and tides that can dominate any sea level variations over short periods.

Sea-level rise is also not uniform across the world’s oceans. It can therefore be difficult to separate natural variability from the signal of climate change at a regional scale. But it is this combination of the long-term rise and the natural variability that impacts coastal regions.

A simple home experiment to demonstrate the difference between two signals is to gently slosh the water in a bath tub backwards and forwards with your hand (equivalent to the natural variability in sea level) and at the same time keep the tap running (equivalent to the climate change signal). At any instant in time, the change in height of water will mostly depend on the sloshing, but over time the additional water from the tap will cause the bath tub to overflow.

Emerging evidence

Our Nature Climate Change paper published today provides clear evidence that, at a regional scale, sea-level rise due to anthropogenic climate change will likely exceed natural variability within the next two decades for many areas of the globe.

To estimate this time of emergence, we examined regional sea level in 17 state-of-the-art climate models and recently published regional sea-level projections, and compared them to the average sea level between 1986 and 2005.

We considered two future climate scenarios — one in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase at a rapid rate (business as usual, called RCP8.5) and the other in which greenhouse gas emissions are stabilised by 2100 (a moderate mitigation scenario, called RCP4.5).

We focused on annual mean sea level. We didn’t consider tides and extreme sea level events over short periods (such as storm surges).

From the models we calculated the probability that climate-driven sea level will emerge from natural variability by a certain time. We found that the sea-level change signal is likely to emerge over 80% of the ocean before 2030 for the business-as-usual scenario.

15 Years From Now, Our Impact On Regional Sea Level Will Be Clear The likely Time of Emergence (year) for regional sea-level change for a business-as-usual scenario. The warm (cold) colours represent rising (falling) sea level. John Church & Xuebin Zhang, Author provided

The date is pushed back by less than a decade to before 2040 for the moderate mitigation scenario.

The date varies between Australia’s east and west coasts. Under the business as usual scenario, sea-level rise is likely to emerge on the east coast before 2030, and the west coast before 2040. The later time of emergence on the north and west coast is due to larger natural variability, associated with El Niño and La Niña and Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

In fact, since 1993 when we have had satellite observations of sea level over the global ocean, sea-level rise on the north and west coasts of Australia has been significantly larger than the global average rise, mainly because of this natural variability.

Sea-level rise clear before warming

With the same methodology and models, we also calculated the emergence for surface air temperature, and found that the surface warming signal is likely to emerge over 80% of the Earth’s total area by 2070. Thus, sea-level rise will be clear generally before surface air warming.

Similar studies have been done on temperature by others, including research from the University of Hawaii, though their estimates are slightly different due to different calculation and reporting methods, and different climate models.

It’s not far away – the time to prepare is now

The projected sea-level changes discussed here add to those already observed during the 20th century.

In the business as usual scenario, the sea-level rise signal on the order of 14 (with a possible range of 9 to 18) centimetres is likely to emerge for the east coast of Australia by 2030, while it’s about 18 (possible range of 12 to 26) centimetres for the west coast of Australia by 2040.

The results imply the importance of local risk assessment and adaptation planning for sea-level change. This should be undertaken in anticipation of a sea level that within the next two or three decades is likely to be significantly different to the past two or three decades.

Coastal communities and industries require information on regional sea-level change to develop strategies for reducing the risk to population, infrastructure and the environment.

This requires modelling projections of sea-level rise, estimating the costs and benefits of adaptation options, and understanding the impacts on coastal ecosystems.

Inundation maps that can be used to identify areas that are most vulnerable to rising sea levels are particularly valuable.

Adaptation measures may include land-use planning such as preventing building in low lying areas, increasing or maintaining a vegetated coastal margin that serves as a buffer zone against extreme sea levels, or using protective sea walls in the long run if certain sea level rise thresholds are exceeded.The Conversation

About The Author

John Church, CSIRO Fellow, CSIRO and Xuebin Zhang, Senior Research scientist, Sea level rise, CSIRO

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Related Books

Life After Carbon: The Next Global Transformation of Cities

by Peter Plastrik , John Cleveland
1610918495The future of our cities is not what it used to be. The modern-city model that took hold globally in the twentieth century has outlived its usefulness. It cannot solve the problems it helped to create—especially global warming. Fortunately, a new model for urban development is emerging in cities to aggressively tackle the realities of climate change. It transforms the way cities design and use physical space, generate economic wealth, consume and dispose of resources, exploit and sustain the natural ecosystems, and prepare for the future. Available On Amazon

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

by Elizabeth Kolbert
1250062187Over the last half-billion years, there have been Five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth extinction, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. This time around, the cataclysm is us. In prose that is at once frank, entertaining, and deeply informed, New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert tells us why and how human beings have altered life on the planet in a way no species has before. Interweaving research in half a dozen disciplines, descriptions of the fascinating species that have already been lost, and the history of extinction as a concept, Kolbert provides a moving and comprehensive account of the disappearances occurring before our very eyes. She shows that the sixth extinction is likely to be mankind's most lasting legacy, compelling us to rethink the fundamental question of what it means to be human. Available On Amazon

Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats

by Gwynne Dyer
1851687181Waves of climate refugees. Dozens of failed states. All-out war. From one of the world’s great geopolitical analysts comes a terrifying glimpse of the strategic realities of the near future, when climate change drives the world’s powers towards the cut-throat politics of survival. Prescient and unflinching, Climate Wars will be one of the most important books of the coming years. Read it and find out what we’re heading for. Available On Amazon

From The Publisher:
Purchases on Amazon go to defray the cost of bringing you InnerSelf.comelf.com, MightyNatural.com, and ClimateImpactNews.com at no cost and without advertisers that track your browsing habits. Even if you click on a link but don't buy these selected products, anything else you buy in that same visit on Amazon pays us a small commission. There is no additional cost to you, so please contribute to the effort. You can also use this link to use to Amazon at any time so you can help support our efforts.

 

enafarzh-CNzh-TWdanltlfifrdeiwhihuiditjakomsnofaplptruesswsvthtrukurvi

follow InnerSelf on

facebook icontwitter iconyoutube iconinstagram iconpintrest iconrss icon

 Get The Latest By Email

Weekly Magazine Daily Inspiration

LATEST VIDEOS

can we cool the planet 7 22
Can We Cool The Planet?
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Over the past century, human activities…
i5w7rk3a
The Devastating Impact of 3C Global Warming
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Global warming is a pressing issue that poses severe threats to our planet and all its inhabitants. In recent years,…
The Great Climate Migration Has Begun
The Great Climate Migration Has Begun
by Super User
The climate crisis is forcing thousands around the world to flee as their homes become increasingly uninhabitable.
The Last Ice Age Tells Us Why We Need To Care About A 2℃ Change In Temperature
The Last Ice Age Tells Us Why We Need To Care About A 2℃ Change In Temperature
by Alan N Williams, et al
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that without a substantial decrease…
The Caspian Sea Is Set To Fall By 9 Metres Or More This Century
The Caspian Sea Is Set To Fall By 9 Metres Or More This Century
by Frank Wesselingh and Matteo Lattuada
Imagine you are on the coast, looking out to sea. In front of you lies 100 metres of barren sand that looks like a…
Five Climate Disbeliefs: A Crash Course In Climate Misinformation
The Five Climate Disbeliefs: A Crash Course In Climate Misinformation
by John Cook
This video is a crash course in climate misinformation, summarizing the key arguments used to cast doubt on the reality…
The Arctic Hasn't Been This Warm For 3 Million Years and That Means Big Changes For The Planet
The Arctic Hasn't Been This Warm For 3 Million Years and That Means Big Changes For The Planet
by Julie Brigham-Grette and Steve Petsch
Every year, sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean shrinks to a low point in mid-September. This year it measures just 1.44…
What Is A Hurricane Storm Surge and Why Is It So Dangerous?
What Is A Hurricane Storm Surge and Why Is It So Dangerous?
by Anthony C. Didlake Jr
As Hurricane Sally headed for the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday, September 15, 2020, forecasters warned of a…

LATEST ARTICLES

global boiling is here 7 29
U.N. Warns: The Era of Global Boiling Has Arrived
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
The world faces an unprecedented climate crisis as temperatures soar and heat records are shattered across the globe.
amoc map 7 26
The Unseen Tipping Point: Understanding the Potential Impact of an AMOC Shutdown
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
The Unseen Tipping Point: Understanding the Potential Impact of an AMOC Shutdown Have you ever heard of the Atlantic…
can we cool the planet 7 22
Can We Cool The Planet?
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Over the past century, human activities…
global hungry 7 22
The Rising Tide of Global Hunger: Pandemic, Climate & Conflict Fuel Food Insecurity
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
In recent years, the world has witnessed a distressing surge in global hunger, painting a bleak picture of food…
keeping cool 7 20
Beat the Heat: Your Guide to Staying Safe in Extreme Temperatures
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
As the temperatures rise during the summer months, it's important to be aware of the risks associated with extreme heat.
i5w7rk3a
The Devastating Impact of 3C Global Warming
by Robert Jennings, InnerSelf.com
Global warming is a pressing issue that poses severe threats to our planet and all its inhabitants. In recent years,…
how hot is too hot 7 19
How Hot is Too Hot? The Risks of Extreme Heat on the Human Body
by W. Larry Kenney, Penn State et al
The answer goes beyond the temperature you see on the thermometer. It’s also about humidity. Our research is designed…
european heatwave 7 18
European Heatwave: What’s Causing It And Is Climate Change To Blame?
by Emma Hill and Ben Vivian, Coventry University
Europe is currently in the midst of a heatwave. Italy, in particular, is expected to face blistering heat, with…

An Antarctic glacier gathers pace. In the north, the Arctic ice thins faster. Racing climate heat is feeding polar concerns.  

During the G7 summit in Cornwall, the group of nations unveiled a global initiative to help low and middle-income countries to cover the vast cost of green infrastructure.

Take today’s heat, apply mathematical logic and consider a murderously hot future, 56°C by 2100, for hundreds of millions.

As bushfires continue to burn around Australia, smoke has continued to blanket major cities and regional areas.

Coal generated less than 2% of Britain’s electricity in 2020, despite being the largest single energy source seven years earlier.

Temperature and day length were traditionally accepted as the main determinants of when leaves changed colour and fell, leading some scientists to assume that warming temperatures would delay this...


 Get The Latest By Email

Weekly Magazine Daily Inspiration

New Attitudes - New Possibilities

InnerSelf.comClimateImpactNews.com | InnerPower.net
MightyNatural.com | WholisticPolitics.com | InnerSelf Market
Copyright ©1985 - 2021 InnerSelf Publications. All Rights Reserved.