Sea levels rise by 'unexpected' amount in 2024: Nasa

The world’s seas rose by 0.59cm in 2024, well above the 0.43cm predicted by scientists. PHOTO: REUTERS

UPDATED Mar 14, 2025, 06:42 AM

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WASHINGTON - Global sea levels rose more than expected in 2024, Earth’s hottest year on record, according to an analysis released on March 13 by the US space agency Nasa.

On its website, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration explained that last year’s increase “was due to an unusual amount of ocean warming, combined with meltwater from land-based ice such as glaciers”.

According to the analysis led by Nasa, which monitors rising water levels using satellite imagery, the world’s seas rose by 0.59cm in 2024, well above the 0.43cm predicted by scientists.

“Every year is a little bit different, but what’s clear is that the ocean continues to rise, and the rate of rise is getting faster and faster,” said researcher Josh Willis of Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Rising sea levels are among the consequences of human-induced climate change, and oceans have risen in line with the increase in the Earth’s average surface temperature – a change which itself is caused by greenhouse gas emissions.