Researchers Express Concern Over Rising Sea Level

The sea level is rising around 3 mm per year, which is double the rate of what it had been three decades ago, the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) researcher AS Unnikrishnan said at an event, organised to celebrate the World Environment Day in Panaji.

The senior scientist said that the rise in sea level was 1.8 mm three decades ago, but it has now increased to 3 mm per year due to various factors. Studies are still on to ascertain the reason behind the rise in sea level – whether it is natural variability or happening due to global warming.

“In the 1970s, thermal expansion and glacier melting accounted for 75% of ocean rise," he said, adding that other factors contributed to the remaining 25%.
Unnikrishnan said that since 1992, experts are using satellite altimeters to measure changes in sea level. Rising sea level would continue, but people should not fear catastrophes, he added.

The researcher, who is part of a team monitoring shore water rise, said, "Since the last couple of years, Indo-French satellite SARAL-Altika has been measuring changes in glaciers, which contribute to the rise in sea level. People should not panic if the sea level rises. Even if there is a rise in sea level overnight, it should not be confused with a catastrophe."

M Nagarajan, another expert from the Goa Institute of Management (GIM), said that sea level changes have to be monitored as the coastal economy is based on it.

He claimed that inundation would impact fishing, tourism and shipping industries, adding that it would also amount to disturbance of marine bio-diversity.
Goa's state environment minister, Alina Saldanha, was also present at the event. (Image: Thinkstock)