Identify a major impact of climate change on sea levels.

Rising sea levels as a result of climate change can be attributed to two primary factors: the melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets, and the thermal expansion of ocean waters. As global temperatures increase, glaciers and ice sheets, particularly in Greenland and Antarctica, are melting at an accelerated rate, contributing a significant volume of freshwater to the oceans. Simultaneously, as seawater becomes warmer due to climate change, it expands in volume—a physical phenomenon known as thermal expansion. Both of these processes lead to an overall increase in sea levels, posing risks to coastal communities, ecosystems, and infrastructure.

The other options do not accurately reflect the main drivers of sea level change related to climate change. For instance, falling sea levels are not a direct consequence of climate change, and while increased salinity may occur in localized areas, it is not a major impact related to rising sea levels. Stabilizing sea levels due to improved weather patterns misrepresents the current understanding of climate dynamics; instead, the trends indicate that sea levels are not stabilizing but rather rising due to the ongoing effects of climate change.