In the context of climate change, understanding the magnitude and rate of sea level rise is crucial for predicting and adapt with climate change. Geological records indicate that sea levels have fluctuated by hundreds of meters in the past, with rates up to 4 meters per century. Nonetheless, exceptionally steady sea levels throughout the last few millennia have been seen, contributing to the rise of human civilization and coastal megacities. In this study, we perform geological evidence, numerical simulations, and ancient literature, to show that the “stabilized” sea levels observed over the past few thousand years are not common and likely caused by the transition between rising and falling sea levels. Furthermore, we have found that sea level changes lag climate changes by millennia. Recognizing these facts are of particularly important for planning future adaptation strategy.

sea level rise,Mid-late Holocene