How Much Will Sea Level Rise Due to Global Warming?

How much will sea level rise due to global warming is an extremely important question. In recent years, scientists and environmentalists have become aware that the Earth’s temperature has risen considerably over the last couple of decades. This is due to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the phenomenon has become known as global warming. The increase in temperature throughout around the globe has caused the polar ice caps to begin to melt. As these huge glaciers continue to melt, the sea level begins to rise. So, how much will the sea level rise due to global warming and the melting of the polar ice caps?

Scientists predict that if the effects of global warming are not reversed, the sea level will continue to rise at an alarming rate - however exactly how much sea levels will rise due to global warming depends on a number of possible factors and there are several different scenarios.

Although it may not seem like much to the naked eye, even a slight rise in sea level will bring peril to the coasts of the United States. This is especially true for the east coast of the United States and areas like New York in particular.

It is estimated by those who are studying the effects of global warming that if the process cannot be reversed to some degree, the following will happen:

• Rise in Sea Level: The rise in sea level is predicted to be approximately 10.2 inches by the year 2100. This is an estimate of the rise that would occur without the impact of land ice melting and contributing even more to the rise in sea level.
• Additional Rise in Sea Level: If the sea level rises anymore due to land ice melt, cities like New York would become threatened by weather occurrences that they have rarely had to worry about in the past.

Weather Worries Due to Global Warming

Knowing how much the sea level may rise because of global warming is only part of the story. The effect of the rise in sea level is also very important to understand. For example, the entire city of New York is only about 16 feet about sea level. Areas of Manhattan are only about five feet above sea level.

If the sea were to rise at the predicted rate and an addition 8.3 meters added on to this amount from land ice melt, the city of New York and any other low level areas of the entire east coast would be more subject to disastrous weather phenomenon such as hurricanes and winter weather melt.

Environmental Worries Due to Global Warming

Additionally, if the rise in sea level due to global warming happens as scientists predict, the entire east coast would also be subject to the destruction of wetlands and estuaries. Many animals call these wetlands and estuaries their home. However, the rise in sea level would swallow up these low lying areas and cause them to become too salty. This would not be the normal habitat for some of the animals that have taken up shelter in these areas and much of the wildlife would succumb to the changes.