The ancient Great Wall at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Father with his daughter on the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking), China

The ancient Great Wall of China snaking through mountains at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

The ancient Great Wall of China snaking through mountains at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Soldiers on patrol, Jordan

Aerial by drone of Fortress Rothenberg, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Aerial by drone of Fortress Rothenberg, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Fishguard Harbour wall and lighthouse with sea defences, Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK

Scorpion fish (Scorpaenopsis) have venomous spines for defence, Similan Islands, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Chinese boy walking the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

The ancient Great Wall of China snaking through mountains at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Satellite antenna dish at GCHQ Bude Satellite Listening Station (Government Communications Headquarters) defence at Cleave Camp, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Europe

British soldier in the United Nations peacekeeping troops at their UN base in Cyprus

Chinese boy walking up steps of the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing, China

The Great Wall of China, UNESCO World Heritage Site, China, Asia

The ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Tourist couple walk the ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing, China

Military parade of armed forces in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The ancient Great Wall of China snaking through mountains at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Aerial by drone of Fortress Rothenberg, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

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

Sedimentary rocks as part of sea defences in County Wexford, Ireland

Tourists walk the ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing, China

Tourists walk the ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking), China

The ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

The ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Storm Barriers, Netherlands

The Great Wall of China, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Beijing, China, Asia

Royal Navy ships HMS Kent 23 frigate F78, HMS Edinburgh 42 destroyer D97, HMS Dragon 45 destroyer D35, Portsmouth Naval Base

Motorcycle policeman on crowd control in Canada

The ancient Great Wall of China snaking through mountains at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Two men walk along the side of the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking), China

Fishing boat with Saltee Islands in background and sea defences, Kilmore, County Wexford, Ireland

The ancient Great Wall of China snaking through mountains at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

The ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking)

Tourists walk the ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking), China

Tourist takes a photograph on the ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking), China

Tourists taking a lunch break on the pier sea defence wall at Ballyvaughan, County Clare, West Coast of Ireland

Soldiers of the Jamaica Defence Force are made ready for inspection

Medieval town walls, defence towers, rooftops of the Old Town, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Toompea Hill, Tallinn, Estonia, Baltic States, Europe

Restored section of the Great Wall, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mutianyua, (Changcheng), northeast of Beijing, China, Asia

Detail of the ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing (formerly Peking) , China

Entrance of Schoenenbourg Fortress, complete with painted on embrasures, Bas-Rhin department, France, Europe

Restored section with watchtowers of the Great Wall (Changcheng), northeast of Beijing, Mutianyu, China, Asia

Western tourists walk the ancient Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, north of Beijing, China

Fishing boat with Saltee Islands in background and sea defences, Kilmore, County Wexford, Southern Ireland

Anti-terrorist security at parade of armed forces in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Military Guard Of Honour of Jamaica Defence Force with bayonets outside Parliament in Kingston, Jamaica

United Nations peacekeeping troops, Argentina force, at their UN base in Cyprus

Soldier from the Jamaica Defence Force taking a photograph during parade

Fishing boat with Saltee Islands in background and sea defences, Kilmore, County Wexford, Ireland

Military parade at the Pardo Palace, the King's Palace, in Madrid

Sedimentary rocks as part of sea defences in County Wexford, Ireland

Old cannons on the southern coastline of St. Eustatius, Statia, Netherland Antilles, West Indies, Caribbean, Central America

Troops, Nepal.

Cannon battery at Historic Fort Sumter National Monument, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America, North America

Ponts Couverts, Ill River, Barrage Vauban, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Strasbourg, Alsace, France, Europe

Fortezza Nuova, Livorno, Tuscany, Italy, Europe

Ceremonial guard at the Pardo Palace, the King's Palace, in Madrid

Cannon battery at Historic Fort Sumter National Monument, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America, North America

Building sea defences, Bryer, Scilly Isles, United Kingdom, Europe

Military guard in ceremonial uniform at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic

German war defences, Noirmont Point, Jersey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom, Europe

Building sea defences, Bryer, Isles of Scilly, United Kingdom, Europe

Federal Department of National Defence and Sport, Vienna, Austria, Europe

Defence Force Monument, Casemates Square, Gibraltar, United Kingdom, Europe

View of one of the two noon guns at Lion Battery on Signal Hill in Cape Town. The daily noon gun is Cape Town’s oldest living tradition and the two cannons used are the oldest guns in daily use in the world. They have marked the midday hour in the mother city in this distinctive, albeit noisy manner since early 1806. The cannons were cast in Britain in 1794 and still bear the royal crest of King George the third. The firing of the cannon was originally to give ships in the bay a means of re-setting their clocks accurately.

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

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Shark thought to be a tope with a zebra fish in attendance passes a large ball of blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus) mid ocean, Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and Cory's sheerwaters (Calonectris diomedea) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, 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.

Second World war defences that for a long time were buried under the storm beach are revealed after 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.

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.

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

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.

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Ball of blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

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 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.

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

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.

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

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

A road eroded and dropping off into the North sea at Happisburgh, Norfolk, a rapidly eroding section of coastline, UK.

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

Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) preying on blue jack mackerel (Trachurus picturatus), Azores, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

A flood gate, part of the new flood defences in Cockermouth, Cumbria, England, United Kingdom, Europe