Bill Patzert of NASA’sJet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge, say sea level rise is “unequivocal proof” that greenhouse gases are continuing to heat the planet, and that much of this added heat is being absorbed by the oceans.
As ocean water warms, it expands and drives sea levels higher, Patzert said. Currently, oceans are rising at an average of more than 3 millimeters, or 0.12 of an inch, per year. This pace is significantly faster than the average rate over the last several thousand years, scientists say.
“There’s no doubt that in terms of global temperatures we’ve hit a little flat spot in the road here,” Patzert said. “But there’s been no slowdown whatsoever in sea level rise, so global warming is alive and well.”
Global warming ‘hiatus’ puts climate change scientists on the spot – latimes.com
Complete bullshit. Tide gauges show no increase in the rate of sea level rise. The 3mm number comes from switching measurement systems to satellites, which have a huge error bar and are largely distorted by a 10+ mm/year anomaly north of Indonesia. Not to mention a completely bogus GIA adjustment.
Sea level rise has been occurring for 20,000 years, in spite of the fact that much of that time the Earth was cooling.
Temperatures have been declining for the past 8,000 years, yet sea level has continued to rise.
Long term climate study suggests record warming is ahead of us
All that rising sea level tells us is that we are in an inter-glacial. When sea level stops rising, we will be in an ice age. But no doubt scientists will still be making bold claims about things they don’t understand.
h/t to Marc Morano