An interactive map has revealed the North East areas that could be underwater as early as 2030.
Created by Climate Central the sea level rise and coastal flood maps show many North East coastal towns could be flooded in seven years.
Based on peer-reviewed science in leading journals, Climate Central has stressed that the maps include big datasets, “which always include some error.”
It also warns that estimates do not factor in man-made structures to prevent further damage including seawalls - meaning it is likely some areas will not face the true expected scale of damage.
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This data comes as up to 1.5 million UK properties face an increased risk of flooding by 2080 because of rising seas triggered by melting Arctic sea ice, MPs have found.
Greenhouse gases have already warmed the atmosphere enough to lock in between 17.5mm-52.4mm of global sea level rise by 2100 and any further warming will only increase that, scientists told the Environmental Audit Committee’s sub-committee on polar research.
Governments later in the century will likely have to decide where they will build defences and where they will allow flooding to happen.
If enough freshwater from Greenland’s glaciers flows into the Atlantic, changing the salinity and temperature of the ocean, it could cause the Amoc to collapse and plunge the UK into a much colder climate while accelerating warmth in the tropics, with some scientists predicting this may happen next century.
Chair of the polar research sub-committee, James Gray, said: “For too long the effects of a changing Arctic have been out of sight, out of mind.
“Before melting glaciers and ice sheets contribute to widespread flooding and irreversible weather patterns in the UK, we must throw our full toolbox at understanding changes in the Arctic better.
“We must prioritise and put more funding behind scientific and multi-disciplinary research.
“At the moment, Arctic science is concentrated on its summer, with the Arctic winter – which could tell us an enormous amount about the weather – being under-studied.
“More collaboration is needed among UK universities to avoid repetition of scientific endeavours seeking out the same information, and with our international partners to learn and share resource.”
See how areas in the North East will be affected by rising sea-levels over the next seven years:
From the picture above you can see that much of Middlesbrough will be lost to sea by 2030 with areas such as the Riverside Park Industrial Estate being completely flooded.
Middlesbrough College could also be lost to the sea along with the Riverside Stadium.
Much of Teesport could also be affected by the flooding with PD ports being covered by rising water levels.
Further inland, much of Yarm could also be affected after the River Tees overflows its banks.
Moving further up the coast much of Hartlepool could also be affected with Hartlepool Marina practically non-existent.
Rising sea levels could stretch as far inland as Iceland supermarket in the town centre.
Seaham is looking less drastic, with the coastline creeping inland slightly, leaving Seaham lighthouse and The Slope Beach mostly underwater.
Further up the coast in Sunderland, rising sea levels could see Sunderland docks mostly underwater.
The University of Sunderland looks like it could just about avoid the rising sea levels, however, the university’s halls of residence most likely will not.
In Newcastle, rising sea levels affecting the River Tyne could see much of the Port of Tyne underwater by 2030.
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Further down the river, areas such as Riverside Park and Saltmarsh Gardens could be underwater.
Even the Metro Centre could fail to escape the water as much of it and surrounding areas are shown to be flooded.
IKEA could be fully underwater, along with Premier Inn Newcastle (Metro Centre) and Travelodge Gateshead and Holiday Inn Express Newcastle.
You can check out the interactive map here
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