NASA Reports Faster-Than-Expected Sea Level Rise in 2024

Global sea levels rose 0.23 inches last year, driven by record ocean warming and melting ice, marking an acceleration in the long-term trend.

NASA's analysis revealed that global sea levels rose by 0.23 inches in 2024, exceeding the predicted rate of 0.17 inches per year.
Thermal expansion, caused by ocean warming, accounted for two-thirds of the rise, reversing the recent trend where melting ice was the primary contributor.
The year 2024 was the hottest on record, with global temperatures 2.3 degrees above NASA's 20th-century average baseline.
Since 1993, global sea levels have risen by approximately 4 inches, with the annual rate of increase more than doubling over the past three decades.
Rising sea levels threaten coastal infrastructure, ecosystems, and urban areas, with projections indicating significant impacts without major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.