Alaric wrote:The Thames is a tidal river, so there's a periodic risk from exceptionally high tides perhaps combined with adverse weather. The Thames barrier and other precautions like river walls are designed to cope with these. If sea levels are higher, the risk is going to be that they won't cope with the highest tide surges. Areas aren't going to be permanently under water.
Where we lived in Middlesex, maybe a mile from the Thames, a neighbour twenty years ago was refused permission to build a house in his garden for his son, on the grounds of flood risk. Now, caving in to the developers, lo and behold a house, and two large houses where the neighbour's modest bungalow stood.
That and other 'at risk' areas will not be permanently flooded, no, not for a few decades.
But when areas have been flooded once, values will plummet.
And in London, the flood walls along The Embankment will not go on being raised as it would ruin the views.
The whole flood thing is when rather than if, but no doubt govt and indeed most people will be in denial until it actually happens.
So far about all we have in the way of coherent response is 'managed retreat' when it is decided not to maintain or enhance coastal defences, and that is really arranging the deckchairs compared to what we have coming at us eventually.
Eventually.
And it's eventually that brings the usual problem of politicians faced with no easy/popular solutions and a five year tenure.
V8