Dire Sea Level Rise Likely Even in a 1.5°C World: Study

AFP/APP

Paris: A new study warns that rising sea levels will pose severe challenges to global resilience in the coming decades, even if the world succeeds in limiting global warming to the 1.5 degrees Celsius target set by the Paris Agreement.

According to researchers, the rate at which sea levels are rising has already doubled over the past 30 years and is projected to double again by the end of the century, reaching approximately one centimetre per year by 2100.

“Limiting global warming to 1.5°C would be a major achievement and would help avoid many dire climate impacts,” said lead author Professor Chris Stokes of Durham University, UK. “But even if this target is met, sea level rise is likely to accelerate to rates that are very difficult to adapt to.”

The study emphasizes that without significant protective infrastructure such as sea walls and flood barriers, an additional 20 centimetres (7.8 inches) of sea level rise by 2050 could result in an estimated $1 trillion in flood-related damages annually across the world’s 136 largest coastal cities. This projected rise is equivalent to the width of a standard letter-size sheet of paper, yet its impact would be catastrophic.

Experts say the findings underscore the urgent need for both global emissions reductions and increased investment in climate adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable coastal communities.