Sea levels are rising faster than expected, study finds

Sea levels are rising twice as fast as expected in parts of New Zealand, threatening the country’s two largest cities, according to a study released on Monday.

Data collected along the country’s coastline showed that some areas are already sinking by three to four millimeters a year, accelerating the dreaded peril. The projections are the result of an extensive five-year research program – dubbed NZ SeaRise – carried out by dozens of local and international scientists and funded by the government.

According to their forecasts, the authorities have less time than expected to plan how to adapt to the consequences of climate change, in particular a relocation of inhabitants living along the coasts.

30 cm more by 2040

According to Tim Naish, the professor at Wellington University in Victoria who co-directed the program, if global sea level rose by about half a meter by 2100, that height would have to rise nearly one meter in large parts of the archipelago because the land is sinking at the same time.

This would be particularly catastrophic for Wellington, the capital, which could experience a rise in sea level of 30 cm by 2040, which was not expected before 2060. The inhabitants of Wellington could thus be victims each year of flood causing damage. The data shows that the southeastern coastline of the more populated North Island is the most exposed.