Scientists are beginning to predict how climate change will influence the height of waves.
The impact on wave height has been a neglected area of research until now.
CSIRO research scientist Mark Hemer says buoys and satellites around the world have been modelling how changes in atmospheric circulation will influence sea swells.
"We see an increase in wave heights in the Southern Ocean and we see decreases in a lot of the rest of the global oceans," he said.
Waves in the Southern Ocean could increase by half a metre over the next century.
Dr John Hunter, from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC, says wave height will have a similar impact on coastal areas as sea level rise.
"So changing waves and sea level can cause recession probably of order in some places say 100 metres this century," he said.
"That's quite likely a lot of houses are within 100 metres of the shoreline."
For the first time wave height will be included in a new report by the International Panel on Climate Change.