Recent global sea-level rise is unprecedented, says study

Guardian : Over the past century, global sea levels have risen drastically. According to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that rise stands in stark contrast with most of the current interglacial period, which extends back some 6000 years. Over most of that time, sea levels have not changed by more than 20 cm. Since the start of the 20th century, however, they have already risen by that much and show no sign of stopping. The researchers attribute the rise in sea levels to global warming brought on by ever-increasing anthropogenic carbon emissions. They based their study on remnants of tree roots and sea mollusks found in sea-floor sediments, which indicate which areas were covered by water and when. That evidence has shed light on some 35 000 years of the geologic record. Because of Earth’s slow dynamic response, the researchers predict that sea levels will continue to rise for the next several centuries, even if Earth’s governments manage to keep carbon emissions at present-day levels.