Final answer:
The increased rate of sea level rise is closely linked to the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, contributing significant volumes of liquid water. Satellite measurements corroborate this trend with an observed rise of 3.6 mm per year since 1993, emphasizing the melting ice's impact on sea level.
Step-by-step explanation:
The true statement based on the given graph and knowledge of the relationship between sea level and global ice volume is that as land ice stores, like glaciers, decrease in volume due to melting, there is a corresponding increase in sea level. The graph in Figure 5.21 illustrating the Phanerozoic Eon sea-level curves, including factors such as global ice volumes and tectonic impacts, shows that there have been significant changes in sea level over geological time scales. Moreover, the current rate of sea level rise is being particularly influenced by the melting of ice as highlighted by the rate of sea level increase between 1993 and 2010, which ranged between 2.9 and 3.4 mm per year, being attributed largely to the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, as well as thermal expansion due to warmer ocean temperatures. Figure 9.17 explains the concept visually by showing that if a 30 m ice sheet melts entirely, it would cause a 10 m increase in sea level if the sea area is three times the size of the ice-covered area.