TCT-C-03 · Climate
Sea level will rise only one-eighth inch in 400 years
Statement and context
“The biggest threat is not global warming, where the ocean is going to rise one-eighth of an inch over the next 400 years.” — 2024-08-12, interview with Elon Musk on X.
“The biggest threat is not global warming, where the ocean is going to rise one-eighth of an inch over the next 400 years.” — 2024-08-12, interview with Elon Musk on X.
What the evidence shows
NOAA reports the global sea level is rising at roughly one-eighth inch per year, not per 400 years, and is expected to keep rising for centuries. See NOAA’s sea-level explainer and the 2022 U.S. interagency technical report.
False. The claim understates the observed annual rate by roughly a factor of 400 when compared on the same period.
Sources and attribution
Tracker research synthesis; inspect the linked evidence and research record.