Burkina Faso

Sea level rise refers to the increase in the height of the ocean’s surface, which affects coastlines around the world. Measuring this change is crucial for understanding the rate and effects of rising seas on both global and local scales. Climate change is the primary driver of contemporary sea level rise and the pace of global sea level rise has doubled since the early 1990s(1). While the overall rise in global sea level provides a broad measure, local sea level change can vary greatly due to regional factors. These factors include ocean currents, water temperature and salinity, vertical land movement (where land itself may rise or sink), and regional weather phenomena such as tropical cyclones or the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). For example, the U.S. Gulf Coast is experiencing faster-than-average sea level rise due to a combination of sinking land and warmer ocean currents, while parts of Alaska have relatively stable or even decreasing sea levels (as measured by tide gauges) because the land is rising. This variability highlights that while global sea level rise is a universal trend, the effects and risks differ widely by region, posing unique challenges for each coastal community.  

This page explores the historical changes in sea levels, providing insights into how the past informs our understanding of present and future trends. Data can be explored by either Tide Gauge or spatial aggregation for Exclusive Economic Zones.​

CCKP is grateful for the support and expertise of NASA's Sea Level Change Team (N-SLCT). All data presented has been provided by N-SLCT. For additional details about the science behind sea level change, users are encouraged to visit: https://earth.gov/sealevel