In response to the Environment Agency report that warns the UK is not ready for the impact of climate change, Paul Hatley, Lagoon Hull project director, said:
“The judgement of the report is that we must ‘adapt’ to climate change or ‘die’ at the hands of ever-increasing violent weather events and rising sea levels – the warning of the impacts of climate change can be no more stark than that.
“The foundation of the Lagoon Hull project is to build a new defence in the Humber estuary that will protect the UK’s second most at risk city from rising sea levels. Given the projections, the days of simple flood walls protecting homes and businesses are numbered.
“Current predictions suggest the Humber region will experience a sea level rise that is likely to be between 1.15m and 1.55m between 2000 and 2125, showing just how urgently we need to take action.
“We are running out of time to tackle the effects of global warming and this report will – and should – cause concern for coastal communities who will bear the brunt of the impact.
“Here in Hull and the East Riding the solution is right in front of us in the form of Lagoon Hull.
“The more local support there is for the project the greater influence we can bring to bear on government for the funding needed to make it a reality, so I would urge people to visit lagoonhull.co.uk to find out more and give it their backing.”
The Environment Agency report in Hull can be read here.