Sea levels rises in the Pacific Ocean are outstripping the global average, according to a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report to be released on Tuesday, August 27, as climate change imperils low-lying island states with coastal flooding and hastened erosion.
The impact of rising water levels on many Pacific islands is considered disproportionately high, since their average elevation is just a meter or two above sea level, and a majority of the population lives in areas proximate to the coast.
In many areas of the western tropical Pacific, sea level has risen approximately 10–15 cm (4–6 in), close to or nearly twice the global rate measured since 1993. In the central tropical Pacific, the WMO reports that sea level has risen approximately 5–10 cm (2–4 in).
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