Recent research has revealed that global sea levels are approximately one foot (30 centimeters) higher than earlier estimates suggested.
Published in March 2026, the scientific study reviewed hundreds of previous investigations and found that nearly 90% of them underestimated the true height of coastal waters by an average of one foot.
This means that many coastal areas are already experiencing sea levels higher than scientists had previously thought, putting millions more people at risk of flooding.
Experts say the discrepancy arose because land elevation and sea levels have historically been measured using different methods. These differences in measurement led to the actual water levels in coastal regions being reported lower than they truly are.
Rising global sea levels are largely driven by global warming, which causes seawater to expand as it warms, and by the melting of glaciers and ice sheets. In some coastal areas, land subsidence also contributes to higher relative sea levels.
