Sea levels 'to rise 34 cms'

2006-01-26 13:25

Bangkok, Thailand - Global warming will cause sea levels to rise up to 34 centimetres by the end of the century, causing increased flooding and coastal erosion, according to a new study by Australian researchers.

The study - published in this month's issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters - said global warming was expected to further heat up the world's oceans and cause glaciers in the Himalayas and ice sheets in Greenland to melt.

The study estimated sea levels would increase between 28 centimetres to 34 centimetres by 2100.

"What we found is that sea levels are rising and increasing with time," said John Church, a co-author of the study by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the Australian government main research body.

"It means there will be increased flooding of low-lying areas when there are storm surges," he said. "It means increased coastal erosion on sandy beaches. We're going to see increased flooding on island nations."

Most scientists believe greenhouse gases from human activities like coal-burning power plants cause global warming by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 50% by 2050, Church said.

"If not, climate change will continue and increase in magnitude," he said. "I think governments around the world, including Australia, have started the process, but there is a long way to go and I would argue that it's urgent."

Clive Wilkinson, co-ordinator of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, a non-government group that follows closely developments on rising seas, said the findings were in line with what many scientists have predicted about global warming.

- AP