Sea levels may be up to 4.9 feet HIGHER than we thought

"Sea levels could be around 11 inches (28 cm) higher than expected in the UK and between 3.2 ft and 4.9 ft (1-1.5 metres) higher in parts of Southeast Asia. By comparison, 11 inches of increase is greater than the total sea level rise that has occurred since the beginning of the 20th century."

"Scientists from Wageningen University in the Netherlands say that this 'blind spot' has meant the threat of sea level increase has been drastically underestimated. Currently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that sea levels could rise by 3.2 ft (one metre) by 2100 if climate change is not slowed."

"If the true sea level is already much higher than expected, 37 per cent more land and 68 per cent more people across the world will fall below the sea level than currently predicted. That would mean 132 million more people's homes will be flooded by the rising waters."

"The problem stems from the fact that the overwhelming majority of studies on coastal erosion and threats measure land elevation relative to an assumed sea level known as a 'geoid model'. This is essentially a mathematical prediction of where the sea level should sit based on the Earth's gravity and rotation."

A new study from Wageningen University reveals that sea level rise has been significantly underestimated due to flawed measurement methods. Scientists have relied on geoid models—mathematical predictions based on Earth's gravity and rotation—that fail to account for local factors affecting actual sea levels. The research found that 90 percent of coastal erosion studies use these inaccurate assumptions. True sea levels are already much higher than expected, with increases of 11 inches in the UK and up to 4.9 feet in Southeast Asia. If accurate measurements are applied, 37 percent more land and 68 percent more people globally would be threatened, affecting 132 million additional people whose homes could be flooded.

Read at Mail Online