Sea level rises far greater for coastal communities, scientists find Study is first to analyse global sea-level rise combined with measurements of sinking land Coastal populations are experiencing relative sea-level rise “up to four times faster than the global average”, which threatens many megacities located on deltas, according to research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA). The research is the first to analyse global sea-level rise combined with measurements of sinking land. The impact of subsidence combined with sea-level rise caused by climate change “has until now been considered a local issue rather than a global one”, it concludes.