Skip to content
  • About
  • Advisory & Consulting
  • Advertising Sales
  • Indonesia
  • Subscribe
  • Log In
Primary Menu
  • Home
  • Latest
  • Topics
  • Regions
    • Africa
    • Australasia
    • Central Asia
    • East Asia
    • Global
    • Southeast Asia
    • South Asia
    • West Asia
  • News
  • Brief
  • Interview
  • Opinion
  • Figure
  • Infographic
  • Video
  • Community
  • Partner
  • Press Release
  • Youth
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Understanding the Severity of Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise has caused devastating impacts on people and the planet. How is its current state and what can be done to address it?
by Kresentia Madina September 23, 2024
people’s legs submerged in water during a flood

Photo: Jonathan Ford on Unsplash.

Climate change has impacted the Earth in different ways. Among them is the sea level rise, which has caused multiple devastating impacts on coastal communities and marine ecosystems. What is the current state of the rising sea level, and what can be done to address it?

An Unprecedented Rate

Since the start of the 20th century, the global average sea level has been rising at an unprecedented rate compared to any other century in the last 3,000 years, according to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States (NOAA) also estimates that there has been an average of 21-24 centimeters of rise in the oceans since 1880 globally.

Sea level rise is primarily caused by climate change-induced factors: melting land ice and glaciers and the expansion of warming seawater. The UN’s latest report noted that between 2006 and 2018, melting ice contributed to approximately 45% of average global sea level rise, while seawater expansion contributed 39%. Additionally, changes in land water storage also contribute to less than 17% of the rise.

How Sea Level Rise Impacts Lives

For countries with large coastal populations, such as the Small Island Developing States, sea level rise seriously impacts vital aspects of their lives: the communities’ economic activities, important infrastructures, and overall livelihoods. The annual cost of coastal flooding impact could amount to $1.69 billion annually for all SIDS combined.

In extreme cases, sea level rise can even swallow an entire village, like what happened in Ban Khun Samut Chin, Thailand. The village’s population is halved, and their lands are submerged in water, rendering them worthless and unusable. Without immediate action, flooding threatens to drown multiple other cities across the world, including Jakarta, Mumbai, and New York City. 

Furthermore, the threats also extend to other aspects, such as water pollution, biodiversity and ecosystem loss, migration and displacement, and the spread of water-borne diseases.

Prevention, Adaptation, and Mitigation

With the current level of greenhouse gas emissions and the state of the climate, sea level rise can reach 0.7–1.1m up to 2300. That might sound insignificant, but as oceans make up almost two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, even the smallest changes have significant rippling effects on the lives on land.

Therefore, halting climate change is the single most crucial effort that must be prioritized globally. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to better industrial practices and sustainable alternatives require collective, transformative actions from governments, businesses, and civil society. At the same time, the importance of mitigation and adaptation measures for more immediate and short-term threats cannot be understated.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma


Subscribe to Green Network Asia
Strengthen your personal and professional development with cross-sectoral insights on sustainability-related issues and sustainable development across the Asia Pacific and beyond.
Select Your Subscription Plan
Kresentia Madina
Kresentia Madina
Reporter at Green Network Asia | Website |  + postsBio

Madina is the Assistant Manager for Digital Publications at Green Network Asia. She graduated from Universitas Indonesia with a bachelor's degree in English Literature. She has three years of professional experience working on GNA international digital publications, programs, and partnerships particularly on social and cultural issues.

  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    Promoting Healthy Aging with Age-Friendly Cities
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    Six Projects Aim to Tackle Food Insecurity in the UK
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    ASEAN and the UK Launched Partnership for Health Security
  • Kresentia Madina
    https://greennetwork.asia/author/kresentiamadina/
    GRI’s Updated Sustainability Standards on Climate Change and Energy

Continue Reading

Previous: Singapore Adds 16 Insect Species to the Menu 
Next: Improving Access to Bangla Sign Language Learning Through Digital Dictionary

Related Stories

coral reefs with a school of small fish around it Launching a High-Level Commitment to Protect Climate-Resilient Coral Reefs
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Launching a High-Level Commitment to Protect Climate-Resilient Coral Reefs

by Seftyana Khairunisa and Nazalea Kusuma July 17, 2025
a group of children with studying items on a boat Floating Schools, a Community-based Initiative amid Bangladesh’s Climate Hazards
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Floating Schools, a Community-based Initiative amid Bangladesh’s Climate Hazards

by Attiatul Noor July 16, 2025
infografik age friendly cities Promoting Healthy Aging with Age-Friendly Cities
  • Featured
  • Infographic

Promoting Healthy Aging with Age-Friendly Cities

by Irhan Prabasukma and Kresentia Madina July 15, 2025
a pink plate with fork and knife Six Projects Aim to Tackle Food Insecurity in the UK
  • Exclusive
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Six Projects Aim to Tackle Food Insecurity in the UK

by Kresentia Madina July 15, 2025
kids with breathing tools Nafas Indonesia and DBS Foundation Launch White Paper on Air Pollution and Pneumonia in Jakarta Toddlers
  • Featured
  • Press Release

Nafas Indonesia and DBS Foundation Launch White Paper on Air Pollution and Pneumonia in Jakarta Toddlers

by Nafas Indonesia July 14, 2025
An elderly walk in the crowd. Promoting Healthy Aging with Age-Friendly Cities
  • Featured
  • Soft News

Promoting Healthy Aging with Age-Friendly Cities

by Sukma Prasanthi July 14, 2025

About Us

  • GNA CEO’s Letter
  • GNA In-House Team
  • GNA Author Network
  • GNA Press Release Guidelines
  • GNA Op-ed Article Guidelines
  • GNA Community Content Guidelines
  • GNA Internship
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
© 2021-2025 Green Network Asia