Sea level and climate variations

Abstract

Review paper, ESA Symposium on Application of Satellite Data to Climate Modelling. Alpbach (Austria)

Sea level is an essential component of the climate system, on which many human activities in the coastal zone depend. Climate variations leading to changes in relative sea level are discussed, with some emphasis on the possible effects of a carbon dioxide warming. Variations in land ice volume are probably most important. Suggestions are given of how future satellite data may help in monitoring and understanding of global variations in sea level.