Global sea levels rose more slowly in 2022 than models predicted. But there's no reason to celebrate, according to NASA. The minor deviation from a decades-long trend was caused by the cooling effects of the La Niña climate pattern, and we are no doubt set to see faster sea level rise again in the coming years.
Between 2021 and 2022, global oceans absorbed the equivalent of a million Olympic-size swimming pools of water, which added 0.11 inches (0.27 centimeters) to average global sea levels. This increase is 0.05 inches (0.17 cm) lower than the projected 0.17-inch rise (0.44 cm) that scientists expected last year.
