The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report details how the Pacific Ocean is experiencing sea level rise at a rate that surpasses the global average.
The Pacific Ocean is experiencing sea level rise at a rate that surpasses the global average, according to a report released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Tuesday. This trend poses a significant threat to low-lying island nations, where even minor increases in sea level can have catastrophic consequences.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
Globally, sea levels are rising at an accelerated pace due to higher temperatures driven by the continuous burning of fossil fuels. The warming atmosphere is causing once massive ice sheets to melt, and expanding warmer ocean waters are exacerbating the problem. However, the WMO’s findings indicate that the annual rise is particularly pronounced in the Pacific, specifically in the regions north and east of Australia, where the increase has been much higher than the global average of 3.4 millimeters per year over the past three decades.
Human Activity Turns Ocean from Protector to Peril
“Human activities have weakened the ocean’s capacity to sustain and protect us and, through sea level rise, have turned a lifelong ally into an increasingly severe threat,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. Her remarks were made in conjunction with the release of the 2023 State of the Climate regional report at a forum in Tonga, as reported by Reuters.
The rapid rise in sea levels has led to a dramatic increase in the frequency of coastal flooding since the 1980s. Islands like the Cook Islands and French Polynesia, which previously reported only a handful of such events each year, now face dozens annually. These incidents are often linked to tropical cyclones, which scientists warn may also become more frequent as climate change raises sea surface temperatures.
Rising Sea Levels and Increasing Storms Pose Growing Risks
According to the WMO report, the Pacific region recorded more than 34 hazardous events, including storms and floods, in 2023 alone, resulting in over 200 deaths. The report also highlights a troubling gap in preparedness: only a third of the small developing island nations in the region have early warning systems in place.
A WMO spokesperson emphasized the severe impact of rising sea levels on Pacific islands, noting that the average elevation of these islands is only one to two meters (3.3 to 6.5 feet) above sea level. As sea levels continue to rise, the existential threat to these low-lying nations grows more urgent, underscoring the need for global action to curb emissions and support vulnerable communities in adapting to the changes already underway.
Lead image courtesy of Julof90 from Getty Images
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