Africa’s sea levels accelerating – 2023 set new records
Sea levels around Africa’s coastline are rising faster, with rates reaching 4.34 mm per year since 2010 – more than four times the pace of the 1990s – according to a new peer‑reviewed study in Communications Earth & Environment. Drawing on 31 years of satellite altimetry, the research finds 2023 brought record‑high sea levels across nearly 40% of surrounding ocean. Most of the rise is driven by added ocean mass from melting ice sheets – over 80% – with the rest from the expansion of warming water. Rates are highest in the Red Sea and the Guinea Current, while increased salinity has dampened the trend in the Mediterranean.
The study highlights uneven risks for more than 50 million coastal residents and key tourism centres along Africa’s 40,000‑km shoreline. Record anomalies in systems such as the Agulhas and Somali currents heighten exposure to coastal flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion – hazards with direct implications for beaches, ports, heritage sites and marine ecosystems. The authors note that 2023 was particularly severe and underscore the need for region‑specific adaptation to protect coastal infrastructure and nature‑based assets critical to local economies.
Source: Nature
