Climate and Sea Level Change
Observations, Projections and Implications

An international team of experts address the questions of climate and sea level change.

R. A. Warrick (Edited by), E. M. Barrow (Edited by), T. M. L. Wigley (Edited by)

9780521115032, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 25 June 2009

448 pages, 159 b/w illus. 2 colour illus. 31 tables
24.4 x 17 x 2.3 cm, 0.71 kg

'Contributers present their material skilfully and clearly, providing a valuable balance of data …' Endeavour

Through the writings of the world's leading experts in their fields, this book, first published in 1993, presents the general state of knowledge regarding the effects of climatic change on sea level and their associated impacts. The evidence for past sea level changes and their possible climatic causes on both geological and secular time-scales are reviewed, as are methods for improving observations of sea level changes. These observations examine greenhouse gas concentrations as well as oceanic thermal expansion on Greenland and Antarctic glaciers and ice sheets. Projections of global mean temperature and sea level rise over the next century are made, emphasising the uncertainties involved. A particular area of study is the low-lying coastal regions and the possible effects of severe tropical storms and storm surges. Case studies of the Ganges-Brahmaputra and Mississippi deltas, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and the Norfolk coast of the UK, among others document the regional and local scale where issues relating to sea level, physical environment and socio-economic effects are paramount.

List of contributors
Preface
Abbreviations list
Part I. Overview: 1. Climate and sea level change: a synthesis R. A. Warrick
Part II. Data: 2. Mean sea level changes in the recent past V. Gornitz
3. Recent global sea levels and land levels D. G. Aubrey and K. O. Emery
4. Improving sea level data D. T. Pugh
5. Global absolute sea level: the Hawaiian and US Atlantic coast–Bermuda regional networks W. E. Carter, W. Scherer and J. M. Diamante
6. Long-term changes in eustatic sea level M. J. Tooley
Part III. Projections: 7. Future changes in global mean temperature and sea level T. M. L. Wigley and S. C. B. Raper
8. Possible future contributions to sea level change from small glaciers M. Kuhn
9. Possible changes in the mass balance of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and their effects on sea level J. Oerlemans
10. The Antarctic Peninsula contribution to future sea level rise J. G. Paren, C. S. M. Doake and D. A. Peel
11. Model projections of CO2-induced equilibrium climate change M. E. Schlesinger
12. Observational data on the relationships between climatic change and the frequency and magnitude of severe tropical storms S. C. B. Raper
Part IV. Impacts and Case Studies: 13. Geographic information systems and future sea level rise I. Shennan
14. The storm surge problem and possible effects of sea level changes on coastal flooding in the Bay of Bengal R. A. Flather and H. Khandker
15. Geographical complexities of detailed impact assessment for the Ganges–Brahmaputra Meghna delta of Bangladesh H. Brammer
16. Possible impacts of, and adjustments to, sea level rise
the cases of Bangladesh and Egypt J. M. Broadus
17. Impacts of sea level rise on coastal systems with special emphasis son the Mississippi River deltaic plain J. W. Day, W. H. Conner, R. Costanza, G. P. Kemp and I. A. Mendelssohn
18. Sea level rise: assessing the problems H. G. Wind and E. B. Peerbolte
19. Adjustment to greenhouse gas induced sea level rise on the Norfolk coast - a case study K. M. Clayton
20. What will happen to The Netherlands if sea level rise accelerates? J. G. de Ronde 21. The vulnerability of the east coast of South America to sea level rise and possible adjustment strategies E. J. Schnack
22. Future sea level rise in Hong Kong and possible environmental effects W. W. -S. Yim
Part V. Summaries and Recommendations: 23. Sea level changes P. L. Woodworth
24. Severe tropical storms and storm surges A. B. Pittock and R. A. Flather
25. Regional effects of sea level rise J. G. Titus
26. Annex: Global mean temperature and sea level projections under the 1992 IPCC emissions scenarios T. M. L. Wigley and S. C. B. Raper
Index.

Subject Areas: Meteorology & climatology [RBP], Oceanography [seas RBKC]