NASA sounds the alarm: In 2024, the global average sea level rose by 0.59 centimeters, significantly surpassing the previously forecasted 0.43 centimeters. This finding, revealed in an analysis published on March 13, confirms the acceleration of the phenomenon observed over several decades. Since 1993, the oceans have risen by an average of 10 centimeters, a pace that continues to intensify.
Two main causes explain this increase: the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, which releases large amounts of freshwater into the ocean, and the thermal expansion of water due to global warming. NASA emphasizes that the latter is now responsible for two-thirds of the sea level rise. Moreover, 2024 turned out to be the hottest year on record since 1850, with record temperatures that have further amplified the expansion of the oceans.
The consequences are alarming. On a global scale, one billion people living in coastal areas are at risk of erosion and flooding. In France, 500 municipalities and 20% of the coastline are threatened. By 2050, sea levels could rise by 50 centimeters, a scenario that makes it imperative to adapt coastal territories and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the acceleration of climate change.
Source: reporterre
