Weathered coastal defences at Porlock Weir in Exmoor National Park, with the evening lights of Wales visible across the Bristol Channel, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Coastal view east of rock armour coastal defences and cathedral, Cadiz, Spain

Coastal defences against erosion at Felixstowe, Suffolk, England, UK

Shingle beach and lagoons in front of coastal defences near Felixstowe Ferry, Suffolk, England, UK

Weathered wooden coastal defences on Bossington Beach, Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Teignmouth Pier and coastal defences at Teignmouth, South Devon, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Wooden sea defences at Porlock Bay in Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Nothe Fort Museum, Weymouth, Dorset, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Harding's Battery, Europa Point, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Europe

Harding's Battery, Europa Point, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Europe

Sea Defences on Llanddulas Beach backed by The Great Orme at sunset, Llanddulas, near Abergele, Conwy County Borough, North Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Sea defences at Happisburgh, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Harding's Battery, Europa Point, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Europe

Sea defences at low tide at Happisburgh, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Coastal defences at Hannafore Beach near Looe, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sea defences on a moody day at Overstrand, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

San Roque Fortress, Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

Great War Memorial, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Europe

A dusk view of rotting sea defences on the pebble beach at Porlock Weir, near Porlock, in Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Storm clouds gather over the Irish Sea, worn sea defences from South Walney at sunset from the Cumbrian Coast, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sea defences, Newcastle Beach, Mourne Mountains, County Down Coast, Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe

Couple with elevated view of harbour, Dalt Vila district and city defence walls, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ibiza Town, Eivissa, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Rotting upright wooden posts of old sea defences on Winchelsea beach, Winchelsea, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Elevated view of harbour, Dalt Vila district and city defence walls at dusk, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ibiza Town, Eivissa, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Rotting upright wooden posts of old sea defences on Winchelsea beach, Winchelsea, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Rock island sea defences, Sidmouth Beach, Sidmouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Brimstone Hill Fortress, UNESCO World Heritage Site, St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis, Leeward Islands, West Indies, Caribbean, Central America

Rotting wooden posts of old sea defences on Winchelsea beach at low tide, Winchelsea, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Maldon and Blackwater Estuary mudflats and coastal sea defences, Essex, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Gale force winds and crashing waves battering the coastal defences in Harrington, Workington, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Concrete sea defences at Beach Bank Caravan Park in Ulrome near Skipsea on Yorkshires East Coast, UK. The coast is composed of soft boulder clays, very vulnerable to coastal erosion. This section of coast has been eroding since Roman times, with many villages having disappeared into the sea, and is the fastest eroding coast in Europe. Climate change is speeding up the erosion, with sea level rise, increased stormy weather and increased heavy rainfall events, all playing their part.

A Second world War lookout post leaning alarmingly and about to tumble over the edge of the cliff near Aldbrough on Yorkshires East Coast, UK. The coast is composed of soft boulder clays, very vulnerable to coastal erosion. This section of coast has been eroding since Roman times, with many villages having disappeared into the sea, and is the fastest eroding coast in Europe. Climate change is speeding up the erosion, with sea level rise, increased stormy weather and increased heavy rainfall events, all playing their part.

Damage caused to the coastal defences by the December 2013 storm surge at Cley on the North Norfolk coast, UK. The huge waves completely breached the storm beach, and pushed it inland onto the Cley nature reserve.

Damage caused to the coastal defences by the December 2013 storm surge at Cley on the North Norfolk coast, UK. The huge waves completely breached the storm beach, and pushed it inland onto the Cley nature reserve.

A boat ripped off oits moorings and damaged by the extreme storm surge weather in December 2013 in Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast, UK.

Repairing damage caused to the coastal sea defences in Blakeney, Norfolk by the December 2013 storm surge.

The Remains of the Godwin battery on the beach at Kilnsea at the head of Spurn point on Yorkshires East Coast, UK. Initially constructed during the First World War, the Godwin Battery was added to during the Second World War. It comprised of gun emplacements, search light, barracks, officers’ mess, and a hospital. This section of coastline is the fastest eroding coastline in Europe. The soft boulder clay cliffs are easily eroded and have been eroding since Roman Times, but recently the climate change impacts of increased stormy weather, increased heavy rainfall events and sea level rise have accelerated the rate of erosion. The average rate of attrition is 1.5metres per year, last year it was 5 metres.

The Remains of the Godwin battery on the beach at Kilnsea at the head of Spurn point on Yorkshires East Coast, UK. Initially constructed during the First World War, the Godwin Battery was added to during the Second World War. It comprised of gun emplacements, search light, barracks, officers’ mess, and a hospital. This section of coastline is the fastest eroding coastline in Europe. The soft boulder clay cliffs are easily eroded and have been eroding since Roman Times, but recently the climate change impacts of increased stormy weather, increased heavy rainfall events and sea level rise have accelerated the rate of erosion. The average rate of attrition is 1.5metres per year, last year it was 5 metres.

Gale force winds and crashing waves battering the coastal defences in Harrington, Workington, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Gale force winds and crashing waves battering the coastal defences in Harrington, Workington, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A BP chemical plant at salt End on Humberside which produces Acetic Acid and a gas fired power station It is vulnerable to coastal flooding, and although sea defences were constructed some years ago, climate change driven sea level rise and increased stromy weather, leaves it vulnerable to inundation.

Gale force winds and crashing waves battering the coastal defences in Harrington, Workington, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Gale force winds and crashing waves battering the coastal defences in Harrington, Workington, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Gale force winds and crashing waves battering the coastal defences in Harrington, Workington, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed as waves crashing against the coast at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Storm waves breaking over the sea wall at Blackpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed as waves crashing against the coast at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Steps that are the only way to access the beach following recent erosion, Happisburgh, North Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sand bags placed by local residents of Lanikai, in an attempt to mitigate erosion affecting this East Oahu beach, Oahu, Hawaii, United States of America, Pacific

Sand bags placed by local residents of Lanikai, in an attempt to mitigate erosion affecting this East Oahu beach, Oahu, Hawaii, United States of America, Pacific

People dodging storm waves breaking over the sea wall at Blackpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed as waves crashing against the coast at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed as waves crashing against the coast at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed as waves crashing against the coast at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Bulldozers rebuilding the storm beach in Cley, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A flood evacuation sign in a caravan park in Kinmel bay that is susceptible to coastal flooding, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed as waves crashing against the coast at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Autumn and winter storms eroding the coastline of Shishmaref, a tiny island inhabited by around 600 Inuits, between Alaska and Siberia in the Chukchi Sea, United States of America, North America

Waves crashing against sea defences at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Rebuilding the sea wall in Seaton Carew on Teesside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

J J Weyouanna's wife stands on the beach where their house used to be on Shishmaref, a tiny island inhabited by around 600 Inuits, between Alaska and Siberia in the Chukchi Sea, United States of America, North America

Building new sea wall flood defences in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

The area of the North Wales coast between Prestatyn and Abergele which was reclaimed from an ancient salt marsh, and is flat, low lying and susceptible to coastal flooding, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Happisburgh, on one of the most rapidly eroding coastlines in the British Isles, North Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Happisburgh, on one of the most rapidly eroding coastlines in the British Isles, North Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Funafuti atol Tuvalu, Pacific

Breach in shingle barrier, North Norfolk coast around Cley, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Tarmac road washed away at Happisburgh, North Norfolk, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Waves crashing against sea defences at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Building new sea wall flood defences in Blackpool, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Rocks placed to re-inforce the sea wall in the area of the North Wales coast between Prestatyn and Abergele which was reclaimed from an ancient salt marsh, and is flat, low lying and susceptible to coastal flooding, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

The Breach at Alkborough created in the sea defences to allow sea water to flood agricultural land and create a wetland for wildlife, Humber Estuary, Humberside, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Waves crashing against sea defences at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Engineering works, part of the MOSE project to protect Venice by building barricades to rise from the lagoon, in the battle against climate change, Venice, Veneto, Italy, Europe

The lifeboat launching ramp destroyed as waves crashing against the coast at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Rebuilding a Norfolk beach after storm damage, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A pumping station at Talacre on the North Wales coast keeping the reclaimed salt marsh dry by pumping, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

A pumping station at Talacre on the North Wales coast keeping the reclaimed salt marsh dry by pumping, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Rocks placed to re-inforce the sea wall in the area of the North Wales coast between Prestatyn and Abergele which was reclaimed from an ancient salt marsh, and is flat, low lying and susceptible to coastal flooding, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Waves crashing against sea defences at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Shishmaref, a tiny island inhabited by around 600 Inuits, between Alaska and Siberia in the Chukchi Sea, United States of America, North America

Breach in shingle barrier, North Norfolk coast around Cley, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Sea defence made from Queen Coch shells, South Water Cay, Belize (rr)

Sea defence made from Queen Coch shells, South Water Cay, Belize (rr)

A pumping station at Talacre on the North Wales coast keeping the reclaimed salt marsh dry by pumping, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Sea defence made from Queen Coch shells, South Water Cay, Belize (rr)

Waves crashing against sea defences at Happisburgh on the fastest eroding section of the UK coast, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

A house on the beach, St. Ives, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Repairing the sea wall damaged and breached by storms on the coast road near Barrow in Furness, between Rampside and Baycliff, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Ramp in the foreground used to be the lifeboat launching ramp until it was destroyed by coastal erosion, Happisburgh, North Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Happisburgh, on one of the most rapidly eroding coastlines in the British Isles, North Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Jetty and sea defence made from Queen Coch shells, South Water Cay, Belize