During a 10-year period, the program will address the following imperatives, which will be approached in five parallel, but interconnected, working groups:
- An integrated approach to historic sea level estimates (paleo time scale)
- Quantifying the contribution of land ice to near-future sea level rise
- Contemporary regional sea level variability and change
- Predictability of regional sea level
- Sea level science for coastal zone management
- Global sea level change
Together, the different groups provide an assessment of the state of affairs of sea level research every 2 years, which is used to make adjustments to the overall science plan and recommendations for international sea level research efforts.