Sea Level

By James Renwick | – I saw an article claiming that “king tides” will increase in frequency as sea level rises. I am sceptical. What is the physics behind such a claim and how is it related to climate change? My understanding is that a king tide is a purely tidal effect, related to Moon, […]

Climate Crisis

If Global Heating Exceeds 3.6° F., Antarctica’s Melt could Raise Seas 60 Feet over Time

The Conversation

By Georgia Rose Grant and Timothy Naish | – We know that our planet has experienced warmer periods in the past, during the Pliocene geological epoch around three million years ago. Our research, published today, shows that up to one third of Antarctica’s ice sheet melted during this period, causing sea levels to rise by […]

Climate Crisis

The Carbon Dioxide Horror Show: Sea Level threat to Coastal Cities triples in New Study

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Scott A. Kulp and Benjamin H. Strauss have published an extremely alarming set of conclusions in Nature in which they recalculated the likely impact of sea level rise in this century on coastal populations. Previous measurements by NASA satellites of how high above sea level coastal areas are, were inexact […]

Climate Crisis

As humans burn fossil fuels, global sea level is rising 2x the rate of the 20th century

The Conversation

By Cassandra Brooks | – The U.N.‘s climate panel report released Sept. 25 makes crystal clear that the planet’s oceans, snow and ice are in dire trouble and the damage is causing harm to the people who depend on them. Even with aggressive efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions, many nations will struggle to adapt. […]

Climate Change

Could Climate Crisis’ Extreme Weather Threaten American Prosperity?

The Conversation

By Gary W. Yohe | – Scientists say climate change is causing powerful hurricanes like Dorian to increasingly stall over coastal areas, which leads to heavy flooding. Officials in the Bahamas feared “unprecedented” devastation after Dorian hovered over the islands for two days, pummeling it with rain. But beyond more intense and slow-moving hurricanes, the […]

Climate Change

New research shows that Antarctica’s largest floating ice shelf is highly sensitive to warming of the ocean

The Conversation

By Dan Lowry | – Scientists have long been concerned about the potential collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and its contribution to global sea level rise. Much of West Antarctica’s ice lies below sea level, and warming ocean temperatures may lead to runaway ice sheet retreat. Since the last ice age, the ice […]

Climate Change

Be Afraid, Very Afraid: Greenland Ice Sheets Cascading into Ocean 50 Years Ahead of Schedule

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Amid the European heat wave, Ruth Mottram of the Danish Meteorological Institute set off a panic this week when she observed that Greenland lost 11 billion tons of ice on August 1, the most in recorded history, and half the ice sheet was experiencing some level of melting. She added […]

Climate Change

If Antarctica Melts, Seas will Rise a Gigantic 190 Feet; It has Started Losing Ice Rapidly

The Conversation

By Nerilie Abram, Matthew England, and Matt King | – A record start to summer ice melt in Greenland this year has drawn attention to the northern ice sheet. We will have to wait to see if 2019 continues to break ice-melt records, but in the rapidly warming Arctic the long-term trends of ice loss […]

Climate Change

As Seas Rise, can a political accommodation be made for Islander Refugees?

The Conversation

By Sarah M. Munoz | – Climate change is expected to have a striking impact on vulnerable communities, especially in coastal regions where sea-level rise and increased climatic events will make it impossible for some people to remain on their land. High tide at Nukatoa Island, in the Takuu Atoll, Papua New Guinea. Richard Moyle […]