Scientific research indicates that the water levels in the seas are rising at a rate of .14 inches per year and they have been at this rate since the early 1990’s.  This is twice the rate of the preceding 80 years.  The water levels in the past century have risen 4-8 inches.  The world uses a huge amount of fossil fuels everyday.   The gases released by burning fossil fuels keep heat trapped in the earths atmosphere causing water levels to rise.

When water heats up it expands, this is called thermal expansion.  Half of the past century’s water rise was due to warmer oceans expanding due to thermal expansion.  Another reason why the water levels are rising is because extremely large ice formations like glaciers and the polar ice caps.  Hotter temperatures is causing ice in Greenland and Antarctica to melt at an accelerated speed.  Scientists think sea water seeping beneath the large ice sheets and melt water on top is also lubricated the ice, which would cause it to fall into the ocean.  This also causes ice shelves to form and break off.

With sea levels rising coastal areas now may be soon taken over by the ocean and underwater.  Sea water inland will have devastating effects on the environment and cites.  Erosion, flooding, loss of habitat are all problems coastal areas will face in the future if water levels continue to rise like this.  I think that as a world, nations should come together to try to do what they can to reduce pollution.  If there was not so much fossil fuel being burned then the atmosphere wouldn’t have started to trap the heat on earth which is warming the ice sheets and expanding the water making water levels rise.  Levels are expected to rise between 2.5-6.5 feet by 2100 depending on how much the rate of melting accelerates by.  This is a problem that we need to start thinking about now before things get worse in the future.

Sources

http://ocean.nationalgeographic.com/ocean/critical-issues-sea-level-rise/