James G. Haidt: Warming causing sea-level rise

The writer of the June 23 letter “Sea-level rise” posed a good question: How can a rise in sea level of a few inches cause a problem in beachfront North Carolina? The answer: Because in our state the land generally meets the ocean with gentle slopes and not with mountains.

As a result, a small increase in the vertical dimension has a profound effect in the horizontal: Indeed, every 1 inch up translates, on average, into 8 feet over. This means, for example, that 6 inches of sea rise in the last century and 10 inches in this century (numbers cited in the letter) translate into roughly 130 feet in lost beachfront setback – along with a huge supply of driftwood.

The writer, however, goes on to suggest that what we label as sea-level rise is actually land-level drop. Nonsense.

We know sea level is rising, and we know why: It’s called thermal expansion from global warming caused by man-made carbon pollution, and it’s here to enjoy for many years.

This story was originally published June 24, 2015 at 6:13 PM with the headline "James G. Haidt: Warming causing sea-level rise."