The **NASA** reported that the sea level in 2024 **increased more than expected**, driven by **[global warming](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/las-olas-de-calor-marinas-se-triplicaron-en-los-ultimos-dos-anos/)** and glacier melt. According to satellite data from the U.S. space agency, the increase was 0.59 centimeters, surpassing the 0.43 centimeters projected by scientists.
The main cause of this phenomenon is **[climate change generated by human activity](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/las-olas-de-calor-marinas-se-triplicaron-en-los-ultimos-dos-anos/)**. “Every year is a bit different, but what is clear is that the ocean level continues to rise, and the pace of that rise is accelerating,” warned Josh Willis, a NASA researcher.
From 1993 to 2023, the average sea level rose approximately 10 centimeters, according to NASA records. This increase is mainly due to two factors: **[glacier and polar ice cap melt](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/las-olas-de-calor-marinas-se-triplicaron-en-los-ultimos-dos-anos/)**, which adds freshwater to the oceans, and the expansion of seawater due to rising temperatures.
Historically, glacier melt was the main driver of sea level rise. However, in 2024, “two-thirds of the increase came from thermal expansion,” indicated NASA, more than expected. This is because **[last year was the hottest recorded since 1850](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/las-olas-de-calor-marinas-se-triplicaron-en-los-ultimos-dos-anos/)**, intensifying the phenomenon of seawater expansion.
The **[continued rise in sea level](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/las-olas-de-calor-marinas-se-triplicaron-en-los-ultimos-dos-anos/)** represents **[a growing threat to coastal communities](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/las-olas-de-calor-marinas-se-triplicaron-en-los-ultimos-dos-anos/)** and island nations, which may be forced to implement adaptation measures to mitigate its effects. NASA warned that as greenhouse gas emissions persist, the phenomenon will continue to worsen in the coming decades.
### **What would be the reasons for the sea level rise?**
According to NASA, the sea level rise in 2024 was greater than expected. This increase would be mainly caused by global warming, which causes **[glacier melt](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/el-hielo-marino-mundial-alcanza-un-nuevo-minimo-historico-en-febrero/)** and seawater expansion.
#### **Causes of melting**
– Glacier melt from Greenland, Antarctica, and continental glaciers
– Less snowfall and more summer ice melt
– Causes of thermal expansion
– Increase in ocean temperature
– Water expands and takes up more space starting at 4°C
#### **Other causes:**
– Slowdown of the Gulf Stream and land subsidence.
– **Human responsibility:** Climate change is caused by human action, mainly by burning fossil fuels and producing greenhouse gases.
– **Impact of sea level rise:** Sea level rise is an environmental challenge that affects our marine environment.
To curb this phenomenon, several countries worldwide signed the **[Paris Agreement](https://noticiasambientales.com/medio-ambiente/el-hielo-marino-mundial-alcanza-un-nuevo-minimo-historico-en-febrero/)**, with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century.
Source: AFP.
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