Sea Level Rise: Rapid Ice Shelf Melting
Below, some alarming facts about the increasingly rapid rate of ice shelf melting.
• Sea level has risen four to 10 inches this past century and is projected to rise up to three feet by 2100.
• For every foot of sea level rise, we can expect about 100 feet of coastal flooding.
• As much as 33% of coastal land and wetland habitats are likely to be lost in the next hundred years if the level of the ocean continues to rise at its present rate. (Source)
• Sea level has risen by more than two millimeters per year on average since the late 19th century, the steepest rate for more than 2,100 years. (Source)
• The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are losing mass at an accelerating pace. The findings of a NASA-funded satellite study indicate that these ice sheets are overtaking ice loss from Earth's mountain glaciers and ice caps to become the dominant contributor to global sea level rise -- much sooner than model forecasts have predicted. (Source)
More on the Threat of Sea Level Rise:
Sea Level Rise: Most Threatened Cities
Sea Level Rise: Facts, By the Numbers
Sea Level Rise: At-Risk Populations