In the face of apocalyptic predictions by environmental activists such as Al Gore and Greta Thunberg, who warn of an imminent submersion of our civilization due to rising sea levels, Dutch researchers have presented a contrasting narrative.
According to RedState, a study conducted by Dutch engineering consultant Hessel Voortman and researcher Rob de Vos found that the average sea level rise in 2020 was approximately 1.5 millimeters per year. This figure is "significantly lower" than the 3 to 4 millimeters often projected by climate scientists and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Voortman and de Vos compared actual observations from over 200 tide stations with the projections and models.
Voortman, in an interview with independent journalist Michael Shellenberger, expressed his astonishment at the lack of comparison between projections and observations in previous research.
He said, "It is crazy that it had not been done. I started doing this research in 2021 by doing the literature review. 'Who has done the comparison of the projections with the observations?' And there were none."
Contrary to the widespread belief that climate change will cause oceans to rise 3-10 feet by the end of this century, Voortman's study found no evidence that climate change has accelerated sea level rise. This discrepancy led him to test his theory worldwide, examining 200 different tide-gauge stations with at least 60 years of data.
Voortman stated, For the vast majority of the stations, the differences between the two curves were not significant, indicating no detectable acceleration in sea level rises. This finding challenges the narrative that human-caused climate change has doubled the rate of sea level rise, a claim that has been propagated by leading climate scientists and news media for over a quarter-century.
Despite claims by The New York Times' David Wallace-Wells in 2019 that "We will see at least four feet of sea level rise and possibly ten by the end of the century," and The Atlantic's assertion that "The oceans we know wont survive climate change," Voortman's research suggests otherwise. He argues that the existential threat predicted by many scientists simply isnt materializing.
Voortman challenges the mainstream scientific consensus that there has been a dramatic acceleration in sea level rise over the past three decades, following the introduction of satellite imagery. He posits that sea levels were in a trough in 1993 and a peak in 2020, and that once these fluctuations are accounted for, there is no detectable rise in sea level.
In his study, Voortman found that most of the stations indicating a notable rise in sea level were located near others that showed negligible changes in recent decades. He reportedly said, making it unlikely that a global phenomenon like CO2-driven global warming is the cause.
While it is essential to be aware of the effects of our ever-changing environment and take necessary actions for the survival of our species, Voortman's research suggests that the climate alarmists' dire predictions are often overblown. These exaggerated forecasts persist even as they generate substantial revenue from green energy projects and consulting roles.
The climate has been changing for billions of years and will continue to do so. Rather than succumbing to the panic propagated by the doom and gloom crowd, it would be more beneficial to seek solutions to adapt to whatever changes may come.
This approach, grounded in realism and resilience, aligns more closely with the principles of limited government and individual freedom that underpin conservative thought.
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