Glaciers accelerate melt, raising global sea level by three centimeters
A new study finds that faster glacier flow into the oceans has lifted sea levels by three centimeters, putting millions more people at flood risk.
A team led by Inès Otosaka analyzed decades of satellite observations and concluded that glacier dynamics, rather than surface melt, are the main cause of the latest sea-level rise. The study, part of the Ice Sheet Mass Balance Inter-comparison Exercise (IMBIE) founded by Andrew Shepherd, reports a three-centimeter increase in global sea level, which could endanger six to nine million more coastal residents. Ice sheets now contribute roughly one-quarter of the overall rise.
While the period from 2020 to 2023 saw a brief reduction in ice loss—thanks to record snowfall over East Antarctica and cooler Greenland summers—researchers warn that these are temporary offsets. The findings, published in Scientific Data, underscore the need for global assessments to protect vulnerable communities from climate-driven impacts.
Why it matters
Rising seas threaten millions of coastal dwellers, highlighting urgent climate-adaptation needs.
In this story
