Lord Campbell of Croyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are taking precautions against coastal flooding resulting from ice melting in the Antarctic Region. [HL2197]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)Predicted changes in the balance of ice held in Antarctica and elsewhere are taken into account in the sea level rise predictions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that are incorporated into guidance issued by Defra to coastal authorities. In addition, expert evaluation has concluded that the potential for more severe melting of land-based ice which could cause a significantly greater rise in sea level is very remote over the next century.