{"id":6593,"date":"2022-02-02T12:02:06","date_gmt":"2022-02-02T12:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mevagisseyharbour.co.uk\/?page_id=6593"},"modified":"2023-11-06T09:09:48","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T09:09:48","slug":"climate-change","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mevagisseyharbour.co.uk\/climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n<\/div> 1. Introduction<\/strong> By reducing the amount of carbon that is emitted, it is hoped that we can slow the warming up of the planet and the associated issues of climate change. The UK government has set a legally binding target for the UK to achieve \u201cnet zero\u201d greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.<\/p>\n The work done and reports to date are set out below. Progress on tackling the challenges faced continues apace with the recent installation of solar panels and the submission of grant applications for funding to protect the harbour from the impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n 2. Sub-committee<\/strong> \u2022 Develop MHT\u2019s policy for dealing with climate change 3. Climate change Policy<\/strong> \u2022 MHT is fully aware of the challenge that climate change poses on the harbour structures with potentially rising sea levels and storms that are more frequent and greater in intensity. MHT will continually assess the issues and developments and take all appropriate action within its capabilities. 4. Grant application for harbour defence<\/b><\/p>\n Following on from the Kovia report on The high-level feasibility study and option appraisal of potential proposals to defend the harbour from the sea and adapt to the effects of climate change, a meeting was held i<\/span>n April 2023. This meeting was well attended and included representatives from Marine Management Organisation (MMO), Environment Agency EA), Cornwall Council (CC), Mevagissey Parish Council, Kovia Consulting and local politicians.\u00a0Resulting from this meeting, we have worked together with Kovia, CC, EA and local politicians to build a case for grant funding of repairs and rock armour protection for the harbour.\u00a0<\/p>\n In total we are seeking grant funding of \u00a31.5m to undertake “medium term\" protection of the harbour. This will involve carrying out repairs to the piers and installing rock armour for North and South piers. We are seeking 60% from the Good Growth Fund managed by CC, 30% from the EA’s Grant in aid match funding and 10% from MHT’s resources. We were assisted with the grant applications by Kovia Consulting and we anticipate hearing on whether we have been successful by the end of 2023.<\/p>\n If we are successful, we will need to establish a team to manage the next stage of the work – ie obtaining detailed quotes from contractors, agreeing detailed works, agreeing contract, drawing up budget\/cash flow and appointing an external project manager. The work would probably start in 2024.<\/p>\n 5. Coastal defence and historic harbour development<\/b><\/p>\n Plymouth University undertook a project for MHT to look at the impact climate change could have on the ageing breakwaters.\u00a0This project looked at the wave conditions and water levels at the port, with due consideration for changes predicted due to climate change. Wave data was obtained from the Plymouth Coastal Observatory and a proposal for development of the existing outer breakwaters was developed. The report was produced by student Ross Rumble MEng Civil and Costal Engineering under the direction of\u00a0Dr Jon Miles Associate Head of School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics at Plymouth University.<\/p>\n 6. High Level feasibility study<\/strong><\/p>\n Kovia Consulting were appointed by MHT in June 2022 to undertake a high-level feasibility study and option appraisal of potential proposals to defend the harbour from the sea and adapt to the effects of climate change. The final report was issued in November 2022 and reviews all of the work done to date reviewing the state of the harbour and the likely impacts of climate change. The report is a starting point that sets out the evidence and a case for action. The report will be discussed with Cornwall Council and The Environment Agency.<\/p>\n HERE<\/a><\/p>\n 7. Marine-i<\/strong> \u2022 Potential high water levels at Mevagissey Harbour here<\/a><\/p>\n A summary of the main conclusions from each report are set out below:<\/p>\n 8. Potential high water levels at Mevagissey Harbour<\/strong> \u2022 that the overwhelming view of the scientific community is that climate change is happening and that this is being caused by human activity and its impact is happening quickly. The final report from the lead partner (Plymouth University) of the project was issued on \u2022 In the last 100 years there has been a 25cm (9.8 inches) rise in mean annual water levels at Newlyn (the nearest port that maintains such records) and that sea levels are continuing to rise. Table 1: Predicted sea level rises at Mevagissey.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nClimate Change<\/h1>\n
MEVAGISSEY HARBOUR TRUSTEES (MHT)<\/strong>
CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT UPDATE AT NOVEMBER 2023<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Climate change is a huge issue facing this planet. The climate is changing quickly as a result of the planet warming up. Scientists believing that this is a result of too much greenhouse gas (carbon) being released into the atmosphere due to human activity.
As the temperature rises the warming seas expand. This together with melting ice caps and glaciers will result in sea levels rising and more frequent weather extremes.<\/p>\n
The potential impact of climate change on the harbour and surrounding area has been considered by a sub-committee of MHT. This sub committee was established in April 2021 to address the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Assess the impact that climate change could have on the harbour
\u2022 Assess the implications on the harbour as the country moves to a low carbon economy and how the harbour can achieve net zero status
\u2022 How we can best protect the harbour from the impact of climate change<\/p>\n
The Trustees of MHT agreed the following policy on Climate Change at their meeting on 8 June 2021.<\/p>\n
\u2022 MHT will ensure that the harbour structures are maintained to as high a standard as possible within its limited financial resources.
\u2022 MHT will liaise with other stakeholders to seek grant funding for major project works to better protect the harbour structures from storm breaches and overtopping.
\u2022 MHT has a good record for reducing waste and recycling. It is not a major emitter of greenhouse gasses but will seek to reduce its carbon footprint further.
\u2022 MHT will seek to make all those who visit\/use the harbour aware of climate change issues and that everyone has a part to play in reducing their carbon footprint.<\/p>\nA summary of the report can be seen<\/strong> here.<\/a><\/h3>\n
The report by Kovia Consulting can be seen<\/strong><\/h3>\n
In order to assist the sub-committee with the climate change project work, we needed external expertise. Discussions were held with Marine-i, (an organisation that is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and brings together expertise from the University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, the Cornwall College Group, Cornwall Marine Network and Cornwall Development Company) for an agreed project to assist us with our understanding and approach to climate change. This part of the project is now complete and the following key reports have been received from Marine-i:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Electrical consumption and renewable energy options
\u2022 Floating offshore wind
\u2022 Decarbonisation of small commercial vessels<\/p>\nThe case study produced by Marine-i can be seen<\/strong><\/h3>\n
As regards the report on potential high water levels at Mevagissey, this is a significant and very useful piece of scientific work. At a meeting with Plymouth University climate experts on 22 October 2021 the clear messages were:<\/p>\n
\u2022 we all need to take action to reduce the impacts of climate change and to slow the world from warming.
\u2022 there is evidence that storm surges are increasing both in frequency and intensity. This is mainly due to the warming of the seas due to increases in temperature. Seawater expands as its temperature rises.
\u2022 that the direction of travel for vessel decarbonisation was electrification (battery) or hydrogen. Both have problems\/difficulties but the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. Battery is likely to come first.
\u2022 the main impact for MHT is that we will need (in due course) to provide electric charging facilities on the harbour or storage tanks for hydrogen.
\u2022 there are \u201cgreen\/environmental\u201d solutions to protecting the harbour but these are likely to be more expensive than other alternatives such as granite rock armour.<\/p>\n
15 December 2021 and the main points contained in the report are set out below:<\/p>\n
\u2022 The most likely prediction for future sea level increases at Mevagissey is for increases in sea levels of 70 mm (2.8 inches) by 2035, 170 mm (6.7inches) by 2050 and 470 mm (18.5inches) by 2100. Optimistic predictions for 2100 are for an increase of 370 mm (14.6inches) and pessimistic predictions for 2100 are for an increase of 700 mm (27.6 inches). This is summarised at Table 1 below.<\/strong>
\u2022 The combination of sea level rise, spring high tides and low pressure storm events will create significantly higher water levels with storm waves further increasing the water\u2019s reach. These higher water levels and large storm waves will bring potential for structural damage to an ageing infrastructure.<\/p>\n