According to a study published by journal Nature Communications, the results were based on a global database covering records from the last 2,000 years, revealing how fast sea-level rise is currently accelerating.

Jennifer S. Walker, lead author of the study and postdoctoral associate in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick said: “We can be virtually certain the global rate of sea level rise from 1940 to 2000 was faster than all previous 60-year intervals over the last 2,000 years.

She added: “The fact that modern rates emerge at all of our study sites by the mid-20th century demonstrates the significant influence global sea level rise has had on our planet in the last century.

By examining worldwide records, researchers found that the onset of modern sea-level rise rates began in 1863 and in line with the Industrial Revolution.

“Having a thorough understanding of site-specific sea level changes over long timescales is imperative for regional and local planning and response to future sea level rise,” Ms. Walker added.

By pinpointing the moment as modern rates of sea-level rise outpaced natural variability, scientists were able to signal the start of a significant period in relation to climate change.

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