21
2.2.3 Sea Level Rise
Globally the sea level rises as a result climate change. The temperature of the earth
is increasing due to climate change and this rising temperature is melting the glaciers and ice-caps on the mountains. This melt water flows into the sea and this extra
amount of load causes sea level to rise. According IPCC 2013, global mean sea level
rose by 0.19 m over the period of 1901 to 2010. According to Rebecca Lindsey from
NOAA, the global mean sea level rose at an average of 0.14 inch per year within the
period of 2006 to 2015. Between 1900 and 2016 the sea level rose by 16–21 cm
(USGCRP 2017).
Satellite radar measurements reveal a rise of 7.5 cm (3.0 in) from 1993 to 2017
(WCRP 2018), which is roughly 30 cm per century. This is due mostly to humancaused global warming, that is driving thermal expansion of seawater and melting
of land-based ice sheets and glaciers (Mengel et al. 2016). Between 1993 and 2018
(Fig. 2.8), thermal expansion of the oceans resulted in 42% to sea level rise; 21% to
the melting of temperate glaciers; 15% to the melting of Greenland; and 8% to melting of Antarctica. Climate scientists expect the rate to further hasten during the
twenty-first century (Climate Change 2014). The rise in sea level will increase the
flood intensity in coastal areas, saline water intrusion, submergence of coastal area,
increase the frequency and intensity of storm surges, affect the aquatic ecology, etc.
India has 7517 km coastline and approximately 260 million people live within
50 km of coastline. India experienced 283 cyclones in between 1877 and 2005
including 106 severe cyclones. The frequency and intensity of storm surges will
continue to increase and it could lead to intrusion of saltwater, impact the soils
Fig. 2.7 State wise annual increase or decrease of temperature and rainfall in India from 1951 to
2010. (a) State level annual mean temperature change. (b) State level annual rainfall trend (Source:
Rathore et al. 2013)
2 Contemporary Environmental Issues – The Indian Perspective
2.2.3 Sea Level Rise
Globally the sea level rises as a result climate change. The temperature of the earth
is increasing due to climate change and this rising temperature is melting the glaciers and ice-caps on the mountains. This melt water flows into the sea and this extra
amount of load causes sea level to rise. According IPCC 2013, global mean sea level
rose by 0.19 m over the period of 1901 to 2010. According to Rebecca Lindsey from
NOAA, the global mean sea level rose at an average of 0.14 inch per year within the
period of 2006 to 2015. Between 1900 and 2016 the sea level rose by 16–21 cm
(USGCRP 2017).
Satellite radar measurements reveal a rise of 7.5 cm (3.0 in) from 1993 to 2017
(WCRP 2018), which is roughly 30 cm per century. This is due mostly to humancaused global warming, that is driving thermal expansion of seawater and melting
of land-based ice sheets and glaciers (Mengel et al. 2016). Between 1993 and 2018
(Fig. 2.8), thermal expansion of the oceans resulted in 42% to sea level rise; 21% to
the melting of temperate glaciers; 15% to the melting of Greenland; and 8% to melting of Antarctica. Climate scientists expect the rate to further hasten during the
twenty-first century (Climate Change 2014). The rise in sea level will increase the
flood intensity in coastal areas, saline water intrusion, submergence of coastal area,
increase the frequency and intensity of storm surges, affect the aquatic ecology, etc.
India has 7517 km coastline and approximately 260 million people live within
50 km of coastline. India experienced 283 cyclones in between 1877 and 2005
including 106 severe cyclones. The frequency and intensity of storm surges will
continue to increase and it could lead to intrusion of saltwater, impact the soils
Fig. 2.7 State wise annual increase or decrease of temperature and rainfall in India from 1951 to
2010. (a) State level annual mean temperature change. (b) State level annual rainfall trend (Source:
Rathore et al. 2013)
2 Contemporary Environmental Issues – The Indian Perspective