SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY

Sea Level Rise Won't Be a "Hollywood Cataclysm"

from National Geographic News

Sea levels will rise a bit higher—but not catastrophically high—in the coming century, according to a new study. The oceans will likely rise between 2.5 and 6.5 feet by 2100, researchers say.

This is not as high as the predictions from some scientists, who have warned that sea levels may rise as much as 16 feet by 2100.

Just because the amount of sea-level rise predicted in the new study is "not a Hollywood cataclysm, it doesn't mean it's not important," said study leader Tad Pfeffer of the University of Colorado in Boulder. ... In the new study, Pfeffer and colleagues examined estimates of 16 feet or more of sea level rise, which they thought seemed unrealistic.