Rob Fenwick writes in the New Zealand Herald about sea level rise and the conference he attended which saw 2500 polar scientists – the largest such group ever – gather to discuss ice melt and sea level rise.
While there is consensus amongst polar (and many other) scientists that sea level rise will occur, more detailed knowledge of ice melt is needed in order to better gauge when, and how much, levels will rise.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“The conference, described as the largest gathering of polar scientists ever, saw satellite data from both poles, including images and ice elevation calculations, which confirmed the annual melt in the Arctic and Antarctica was faster over the last summers than most had predicted.
…
“It is also becoming apparent that the height of sea level rise will differ from one land mass to another around the globe, depending on its latitude and the volume of ocean surrounding it.
“There is now little doubt we’re all going to have to adapt to a sharp increase in sea level, which in many parts of the world will have unimaginable social and economic consequences.”