Global sea-level rise could be double our current predictions

The estimate has been revised upwards because ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting more rapidly than expected.
New predictions: In 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that sea levels around the world would rise by between 52 and 98 centimeters by 2100. However, a new study in PNAS by a group of 22 researchers predicts that the real level could exceed two meters, if emissions growth continues along current trends—an outcome they describe as “plausible.”
The impact: This scenario would lead to the loss of 1.8 million square kilometers of land, including critical areas of food production, and displace up to 187 million people.
Complexity and uncertainty: The study includes some vast ranges of possibilities. The authors say this is because improved understanding of ice loss has increased the bounds of uncertainty. However, they are confident that previous estimates were too conservative.
Sign up here to our daily newsletter The Download to get your dose of the latest must-read news from the world of emerging tech.
Deep Dive
Climate change and energy
Zinc batteries that offer an alternative to lithium just got a big boost
The US Department of Energy just committed a $400 million loan to battery maker Eos.
How a half-trillion dollars is transforming climate technology
Checking in with the landmark Inflation Reduction Act, one year later.
This startup has engineered a clever way to reuse waste heat from cloud computing
Heata is now using these busy servers to heat water for homes.
The US just invested more than $1 billion in carbon removal
The move represents a big step in the effort to suck CO2 out of the atmosphere—and slow down climate change.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.