LONDON, July 21 (Xinhua) -- At least half a million more people in Britain could face coastal flooding risks by the end of this century, representing a 25-percent increase from current levels, according to a study released Tuesday by the University of Bristol.
The study, led by Britain's Met Office and the University of Bristol, quantified the number of people in Britain who could be exposed to coastal flooding under different future sea-level rise scenarios. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Even if countries meet their current global carbon emissions pledges, about 1.4 million additional people in Britain could face coastal flooding risks by 2200. This number could rise to 1.7 million by 2300, the University of Bristol said.
The study projected that sea levels around British coastlines would rise by between 0.4 and 0.6 meters by 2100, increasing the areas classified as being at risk of coastal flooding by 13 percent.
By 2300, sea-level rise could reach between 1.2 and 1.8 meters, while coastal areas exposed to flooding could expand by 56 percent.
Low-lying areas would be affected most severely, with the Wash, a large bay on England's east coast, and the Humber Estuary identified as major future coastal flooding hotspots.
The researchers also considered a "reasonable worst-case scenario" incorporating possible ice-sheet instability, where sea levels around Britain could rise by more than 15 meters by 2300.
Such an extreme rise would expose critical infrastructure to flooding, including London's M25 motorway and financial district. During a severe coastal flooding event, large parts of West and North London could be covered by one meter of water, the study said. ■
