Impacts of recent and predicted climate change on coasts

Question 1

What are the future average predictions of the rate of sea level change in the future?

Answer 1

between 18-59cm

from 1990s to 2090

Question 2

What are the two reasons for sea level change?

Answer 2

• increases in volume of the ocean

- subsidence of the coast

Question 3

How does the volume of the ocean increase?

Answer 3

• either human induced (e.g. increased use of fossil fuels)
• or natural
• water currently stored on the surface as ice, melts and is released into the ocean

Question 4

What is thermal expansion of the ocean?

Answer 4

• when sea water expands due to higher temperatures of the sea water

Question 5

Why is flooding going to be an issue in the Southeast coast of UK?

Answer 5

• rise in sea relative to the land may be greater than average
• due to localised subsidence

Question 6

Since the last ice age, what is the links between glaciers and UK?

Answer 6

• glacial load removal in the north and west of UK

- resulted in a gradual uplift

Question 7

How will the British coastline be affected by rising sea levels?

Answer 7

Places at risk:

• major road and rail links near coast
• several power stations on low-lying land
• major conurbations (London, Hull and Middlesborough)

Question 8

What is the impact on underground water resources as a result of rising sea levels?

Answer 8

• abstraction points may have to be moved upstream

- to avoid abstracting saline water