Getting into hot water – global warming and rising sea levels
Further reading
August 2010
The Science of Climate change: Questions and Answers.
A document summarising the current understanding of climate change science for non-specialist readers.
April 2008, page 10
Rising sea levels already threatening coral atolls.
November/December 2006, pages 19-22
Sea change threatened by climate change (by John Church)
Warns that sea level rise will have serious consequences during the 21st century and will impact on millions of people.
March 2006, pages 10-11
Sea rises have accelerated
Satellite and tide gauge records indicate that sea levels rose during the 20th century.
May 2005, pages 31-33
Ancient mangroves reveal rapid sea rise (by Kerie Hull)
Describes evidence of rapid sea level rise, indicating a sudden climate shift.
22 January 2009
Global warming hitting Antarctica hard
Reports that the average temperature in the Antarctic is rising.
18 June 2008
Sea level flux drove mass extinctions
Proposes that sea level changes caused previous mass extinctions on Earth.
June/July 2008, pages 70-77
The big melt (by Tom Clynes)
Describes the effect of global warming on ice sheets.
No. 149, 2009, page 31
Clarifying polar ice and climate trends (by Jess Tyler)
Explains the roles of ice sheets and sea ice in climate change.
No. 137, 2007, pages 14-17
Preparing for sea-level rise (by Wendy Pyper)
Looks at the preparation and mitigation planning for sea level rises in Australia.
No. 133, 2006, page 4
Climate change planning call for ‘sea change’ regions (by Craig Macaulay)
Looks at the need to manage climate change, focussing on the rise of sea levels.
No. 119, 2004, page 4
Sea levels are rising while storms intensify
Suggests that higher seas and changes to cyclone intensity are likely due to global warming.
February-March 2009, pages 20-23
Slow but sure – a world of rising sea levels (by Catherine Healy)
Clearly explains the reasons for rising sea levels, their current state and effects on coastal populations.
New Scientist
1 December 2009
Seas could rise 1.4m, warns Antarctic climate review (by Shanta Barley)
Reports that sea ice loss around Antarctica could lead to a sea-level rise of 1.4 metres by 2100.
10 March 2009
Sea level rise could bust IPCC estimate(by Catherine Brahic)
Reports that sea levels could rise by 1 metre by 2100.
6 September 2008, page 12
If sea levels rise a metre watch out (by Catherine Brahic)
Reports on a study predicting that sea level rises of one metre per century are possible.
12 July 2008, page 6
Melting ice sheets will send slow wave around globe
Reports on a model that predicts that melting ice sheets will send a slow wave around the globe.
4 June 2008, pages 42-45
Climate scientists go with the floe (by Ben Crystall)
Describes an expedition to observe climate changes in the Arctic.
28 July 2007, pages 30-34
Huge sea level rises are coming – unless we act now (by James Hansen)
NASA physicist discusses the potential impact of greenhouse gas emissions on sea levels.
15 April 2006, pages 42-46
Climate change: The great Atlantic shutdown (by Stephen Battersby)
Looks at the possible effects of slowing of the thermohaline currents in the Atlantic Ocean due to melting ice.
18 February 2006, pages 8-9
Disappearing deltas could spell disaster (by Jeff Hecht)
Looks at the numbers of people in danger of displacement due to rising sea levels.
2 October 2004, pages 8-9
Melting ice, global warning (by Bob Holmes)
Looks at three studies that are tracking the melting of glaciers in Antarctica.
14 August 2004, page 14
Rome's ancient fisheries confirm sea-level fears (by Jeff Hecht)
Ancient coastal fish pens have provided the most accurate record so far of changes in sea level over the past 2000 years.
20 July 2002, page 12
Islanders 'can't go home' (by Fred Pearce)
Explains that people removed from Chagos Archipelago may not be able to return because these coral islands are threatened by rising sea levels.
20 April 2002, pages 38-41
Deep secrets (by Kate Ravilious)
Describes how a record of sea level changes over the past two ice ages was elucidated from a stalagmite in an Italian cave.
July 2008, pages 22-23
Icecaps send shivers through climatologists (by Yves Sciama)
Looks at predictions of sea level rise over the next century.
RTD Info
Mysteries of the ocean
Describes changes in the ocean due to global warming. Includes What is happening in the North Atlantic?, The unique relationship between the sea and CO2 and The strange world of oceanic methane.
17 February 2006, pages 963-964
The Greenland ice sheet and global sea-level rise (by Julian Dowdeswell)
Suggests that current estimates of sea-level rise are too low, due to the accelerated rate of melting of Greeenland ice sheets.
31 October 2008
Warmer Antarctica shows climate changing on every continent (by David Biello)
Reports on climate change in Antarctica and its impact on ice-shelves.
5 September 2008
A deep thaw: How much will vanishing glaciers raise sea levels? (by David Biello)
Reviews estimates of sea level rise from melting glaciers.
13 June 2008
Are Arctic sea ice melts causing sea levels to rise?
Describes the effect of melting ice sheets on sea levels.
24 March 2005
Climate model predicts greater melting, submerged cities (by David Biello)
Describes research predicting the extent of sea rises due to global warming.
Page updated November 2010.