Sea level rise (SLR) is the sum of oceanic thermal expansion, ice melt from glaciers and small ice sheets, melt and ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica, and changes in terrestrial water storage. SLR is accelerating in response to climate change and is producing significant impacts already being felt by coastal ecosystems and communities. SLR and other oceanic climate change will result in salinization, flooding and erosion and affect human and ecological systems, including health, heritage, freshwater, biodiversity, agriculture, fisheries and other services. Increased heat in the upper layers of the ocean is also driving more intense storms and greater rates of inundation, which, together with SLR, are already driving significant impacts to sensitive coastal and low-lying areas. By the end of the 21st century, it is very likely that sea level will rise in more than about 95% of the ocean area and about 70% of the coastlines worldwide are projected to experience a sea level change within ±20% of the global mean (IPCC Global Warming of 1.5 °C Report, 2018).

The section facilitates the exploration of spatial variability and trends in historical sea level anomaly and sea surface temperature.