Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sea-level rise that will result from decisions at COP26; and whether any modifications will be required for the Thames Barrier to resist such rising sea levels.

Rising sea levels can cause coastal flooding and coastal erosion. Our long-term policy statement sets out our ambition to create a nation more resilient to future flood and coastal erosion risk. It includes five ambitious policies and over 40 supporting actions we will take to accelerate progress to better protect and prepare the country against flooding and coastal erosion from more frequent extreme weather as a result of climate change.

No assessment has yet been made of the impact of COP26 pledges on sea level; however the UK Climate Projections published in 2018 (UKCP18) project potential impacts on sea levels from a range of global warming scenarios. An initial comparison shows that the UKCP18 projections are broadly consistent with the IPCC's latest findings, so we can be confident that our current projections take into account the COP26 pledges and commitments.

The Environment Agency's (EA) Thames Estuary 2100 Plan (TE2100) sets a long-term approach, designed with climate change at its core. It was the first adaptive flood risk management strategy developed in England and is internationally recognised as a leading example of a climate adaptation strategy. By taking an adaptive approach, the EA can better anticipate and respond to a range of future climate scenarios, ensuring it is investing in the right flood risk management actions at the right time, to ensure the resilience of the estuary and its communities in the future.

The EA expects the Thames Barrier to continue to protect London from tidal flooding until 2070. TE2100 identifies several options for a future Thames Barrier to protect the Thames Estuary and London to the end of the century and beyond. It outlines three possible options, including upgrading the existing Thames Barrier and two proposed locations for building a new barrier.