Former President Trump Mocks Biden’s Climate Change Claim with Wildly Inaccurate Sea Level Figures
The Pacific Ocean and coastline in Ventura, California, are not immune to the effects of climate change, especially when it comes to rising sea levels. Former President Donald Trump recently made some inaccurate claims about the rate at which sea levels are rising, sparking debate and concern.
In a recent rally in Virginia, Trump dismissed the notion that global warming is a significant issue, stating that “global warming is fine.” He went on to mock President Joe Biden’s assertion that climate change is the only existential threat to humanity. Trump claimed that sea levels may rise by only an eighth of an inch in the next 497 years, suggesting that this would provide more waterfront property for those lucky enough.
However, the reality is quite different. According to NASA, the current global average sea level rise is already more than an eighth of an inch annually and is actually accelerating. In fact, between 2022 and 2023, there was a significant jump of 0.3 inches in sea level rise.
Gary Griggs, a professor of earth and planetary sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has criticized Trump’s claims as being out of touch with reality. He pointed out that sea levels rise by different amounts in various locations, with some areas, including the east coast and Gulf coast of the US, experiencing faster rates of sea level rise.
In particular, Florida, where Mar-a-Lago is located, is expected to be severely affected by rising sea levels. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tide gauge near Mar-a-Lago shows an increase of an eighth of an inch roughly every nine months, far exceeding Trump’s claims.
Rising sea levels have serious implications for coastal communities, rendering some areas uninhabitable and increasing the risk of flooding and damage from hurricanes. It is essential to take these threats seriously and work towards mitigating the impact of climate change on our oceans and coastlines.
