Yes. Global sea levels are rising due to climate change, and the rise has accelerated over the past century.

Why seas are rising

There are two main causes:

1. Thermal expansion
   As the ocean warms, seawater expands. Since global temperatures have increased due to greenhouse gas emissions, warmer oceans take up more space.

2. Melting land ice
   Ice sheets and glaciers on land are melting and adding water to the ocean. The biggest contributors are:

   • The Greenland Ice Sheet

   • The Antarctic Ice Sheet

   • Mountain glaciers worldwide

(Melting sea ice, like Arctic floating ice, does not significantly raise sea levels because it’s already floating.)

How much have seas risen?

• Global sea level has risen about 20–25 cm (8–10 inches) since 1900.

• The rate of rise has more than doubled since the 1990s.

• Satellite measurements since 1993 show a steady and accelerating upward trend.

Why it matters

Rising seas increase:

• Coastal flooding

• Storm surge damage

• Shoreline erosion

• Saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies

Low-lying cities and island nations are especially vulnerable.