Sea levels may rise by over a metre

Scientists have predicted:

• Sea levels could rise by more than a metre by the end of the century as a result of a warming climate, twice as much as previously predicted.
• It is unlikely sea level rise will be less than 50cm up to the end of the century, as oceans warm and expand, mountain glaciers melt and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica lose ice.
• Low-lying coastal areas which are home to a tenth of the world's population could be flooded.
• The massive areas of ice in Greenland and Antarctica are already contributing more, and faster, to sea level rise than was anticipated.
• Large areas of the Norfolk Broads and Thames estuary are likely to vanish under sea by 2100 and cities such as London and The researchers also said countries such as Bangladesh and Burma and areas including South East Asia and Africa would be most at risk from sea level rises.Hull will need new flood defences.

Press Association

Scientists warn of catastrophic rises in sea level