Rising fear

Climate change flood risk to 1.5 million homes Sea levels will make coastal towns ‘unviable’

CLIMATE change and rising sea levels could threaten 1.5 million homes, turn farms into marshland and wash away beaches by the end of the century.

The Met Office’s UK Climate Projections report also says many coastal towns may have to be abandoned as the huge cost of sea defences will make them “unviable”.

Low-lying farmland could be lost, with Romney Marsh in Kent, the Somerset Levels and parts of Essex facing near-permanent flooding.

Much of the farmland between Cambridge and King’s Lynn in Norfolk is set to be below sea level.

Summer temperatures are likely to be 5.4C higher than current levels by 2070, and up by 5C in winter.

Rising sea levels may also affect London, increasing up to 1.15m by 2100 if climate-warming emissions continue to climb. By 2300 many coastal areas will be submerged.

But the researchers warned sea levels could still be 29cm to 70cm higher in the capital even if emissions were cut in line with the 2016 Paris climate agreement, which aims to hold temperature rises at less than 2C above pre-industrial levels.

INTENSE

The report said: “Sea-level rises, increased river flows and more frequent, more intense storm surges are all possible effects of climate change. This poses flooding risks to several areas of the UK.”

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: “The intense rainfall of winter, the arid heat of the summer and rising sea levels will be how we experience climate change most immediately in our everyday lives.”

To tackle droughts, he said policies would drive the construction of reservoirs. Farmers would be paid to plant crops to tackle soil erosion.

Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Emi Murphy said: “Climate change will have a devastating impact on the UK. Ministers must develop an urgent action plan to develop a zero-carbon future, and strengthen the Climate Change Act to ensure this is achieved.”