Parts of Falmouth, Penryn and the Cornish coast, including around Porthleven and Penzance, could well be underwater by 2030, according to data from a climate change study.
The projection of risk from Climate Central, a non-profit organisation that reports on climate data and science, provides a sobering look at how rising sea levels could leave many parts of the Duchy below water level if this research is correct.
Climate Central's study on sea level rise and coastal flooding is based on peer-reviewed science in leading journals and use big datasets, which will always include some margin of error.
Areas lower than water level and with an unobstructed path to the ocean are shaded red.
The data displays which areas are at risk of permanent future sea-level rise.
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The National Maritime Museum, Swanvale Nature Reserve, Gyllyngvase Beach, and parts of the Falmouth Port would be the worst affected in Falmouth, whereas almost all of Harbour Village in Penryn would be submerged.
Also affected would be the stretch of land between Mylor Bridge and Trelew as well as areas from Porthleven pier to the harbour.
Porthleven Beach would all but disappear underwater.
Much of Truro town centre would also be submerged.
River estuaries from Loggans leading through Ventonleague and Copperhouse, would flood past Hayle and Lelant all the way down to St Erth.
St Gothian Sands, north of Gwithian, would also see much of its coast disappear.
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One of the main causes of sea-level rises, alongside changes to the amount of water stored on land, has been human-caused global warming.
Through the burning of fossil fuels, greenhouse gases are released causing the planet to heat up and melt land ice that then finds its way back into the oceans.
In January 2019 Cornwall Council declared a climate emergency. It has since issued a 'Climate Action Plan' which states that further work will be required in 'increasing the carbon draw down from the natural environment.'
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Since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2010, up to 2019, Cornwall had reduced its emissions by 16%, approximately 0.76 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e).
In order to keep to the IPCC's recommendation of keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees, Cornwall will need to deliver a further emissions reduction of 1.4 MtCO2e by 2030.
In the nine years between 2010 and 2019, Cornwall managed a 0.76 MtCO2e reduction.
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