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Understanding Global Change

Discover why the climate and environment changes, your place in the Earth system, and paths to a resilient future.

Understanding Global Change

Discover why the climate and environment changes, your place in the Earth system, and paths to a resilient future.

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Home → Glossary → sea level rise

sea level rise

The average increase in height of all the Earth’s oceans. Sea level rise observed today is primarily due to an increase in the amount of water in the oceans caused by land ice melt and thermal expansion of ocean water, as the Earth warms from an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Learn more about sea level rise.

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