Glaciers and ice caps outside of Greenland and Antarctica are losing nearly 150 billion tons of ice each year, contributing to an annual 0.4 millimeter rise in sea levels globally, according to a study done by the University of Colorado at Boulder. Full Story »
Posted by Walter Cox
This story is factually challenged. It refers to an annual rise in global sea level of 0.4 millimeters, which is 0.016 inches--about 1/64 of an inch. At that rate sea levels would rise only about 1.6 inches during the next century.Even those scientists who believe global warming will not be catastrophic would consider this estimate too low, since observed sea level rise during the past twenty years has been about 1/8 inch per year--the current rate of change would yield a sea level rise of about 12 inches during the next century.
Quite aside from being factually challenged, this story offers no context that would allow the reader to grasp the significance of the new information gleaned from the GRACE satellite observations. By contrast, the linked story is much better, though even it falls short by failing to report projected sea level increases from the various sources.
Belogolova quotes some studies, but is short on expert credential information on those doing the studies. Brief and shallow for a subject calling for more sophistication.
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