New geological data has shed more light on the rate and magnitude of global sea level rise following the last ice age, which ended about 11,700 years ago. The research, published in the journal Nature, provides valuable insights into the impact of global warming on ice caps and sea levels.
Scientists from various institutions, including Deltares, Utrecht University, and the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, have analyzed a unique dataset from the North Sea region to calculate the rate of sea level rise during this period. The study reveals that sea levels rose by about 38 meters over a 3,000-year period, with rates peaking at more than a meter per century.
The findings are significant because they provide a point of reference for scientists and policymakers studying global warming’s impact on ice sheets and sea levels. Current climate models predict sea levels to rise by several meters by 2300, with some scenarios indicating a rise of over 1 meter per century.
In contrast to the early Holocene period, today’s situation is more complex due to population growth and infrastructure development. The study’s lead author, Marc Hijma, notes that the research takes an important step towards understanding sea level rise and provides insights for climate adaptation and policy-making.
The data used in this study comes from submerged peat layers in the North Sea region, which were analyzed using modeling techniques. This approach allowed researchers to accurately calculate the rate of sea level rise during this period, providing a valuable reference point for future studies.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-03-sea-ice-age-revealed-geological.html