Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline.Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline.
Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing.
Warming global temperatures cause land ice to melt and oceans to thermally expand, elevating sea levels. Since 1880, they’ve risen an estimated 8-9 inches (over 20 cm) based on historical data from coastal tide gauge stations.
In the 1990s, scientists began using satellites to measure sea levels. Since 1993, the global average sea level has risen 4 inches (10 cm).
These satellites send pulses to the ocean and measure the time it takes for the signal to return. Researchers account for factors like land height, resulting in highly accurate measurements with error margins of 1 millimeter. Short-term dips don’t contradict the overall rise, which is exceeding prior predictions.
Sea level rise has already submerged islands and atolls in places like The Solomon Islands and The Marshall Islands, while coasts worldwide have experienced flooding, infrastructure damage, and land loss.
Go to full rebuttal on Skeptical Science or to the fact brief on Gigafact
This fact brief is responsive to quotes such as the one highlighted here.
Sources
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Is sea-level rise exaggerated?
NASA Sea Level
IPCC AR6: Changes in global mean sea level
NOAA Is sea level rising?
About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact — a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all of our published fact briefs here.
Posted by Sue Bin Park on Saturday, 15 February, 2025
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