Forecast for big sea level rise

BBC News ^ | 15 April 2008 | Richard Black

[Aristotelian]

Sea levels could rise by up to one-and-a-half metres by the end of this century, according to a new scientific analysis.

This is substantially more than the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) forecast in last year's landmark assessment of climate science.

Sea level rise of this magnitude would have major impacts on low-lying countries such as Bangladesh.

The findings were presented at a major science conference in Vienna.

(snip)

"The rapid rise in the coming years is associated with the rapid melting of ice sheets."

(snip)

The latest satellite data indicates that the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets are losing mass, though the much bigger East Antarctic sheet may be gaining mass.

[RightWhale]

Run for the high ground!