Climate change, along with the associated ice-shelf melting, contributes to sea level rise. However, the calculations linking the temperature records with ice melt leave an unexplained 12 cm/century rise in the actual levels - as measured around the world by tide gauges (and recently by satellite radar). Put another way, the levels are rising 3 to 4 times faster than can currently be explained.

This anomaly, called the Attribution Problem by geo-scientists, has been the subject of intense debate. There are various theories revolving around the general observation that : "either the tide gauge estimates are too high, as has been suggested recently, or one (or both) of the mass and volume estimates is too low."

A new theory (2015) suggests the idea that the anomalies may be caused by changes in the size of the Earth itself.

Major effects on sea-level could come from ongoing relaxation of curvature variations that are peculiar for an expanding globe."

Source :Sea Level Enigmatic Rising : New Perspectives from an Expanding Globe Arxiv.org, Prof. Giancarlo Scalera, INGV – Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Roma, Italy (retired)

Further reading : The Puzzle of Global Sea-Level Rise in Physics Today, Volume 55, Issue 3.

Also see Sea slopesplugin-autotooltip__plain plugin-autotooltip_bigSea slopes

Global Mean Sea Level is an averaged measure. The averaging has to take account of local temporary factors such as the tidal flows, windspeed, sea currents, etc. etc.. It also allows for the permanent effects of the Earth's rotation - whereby the poles are 'flattened'. And factors-in corrections for the curvature of the Earth.

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