23 June 2006 - Essex is sinking at the rate of a centimetre a year – and is one of the UK counties most under threat from climate change, a conference in Leigh-on-Sea heard today.

Speaking at the ‘Flooding and Climate Change’ conference, Green Party MEP and Principal Speaker Caroline Lucas said: “Climate change is the biggest global threat we face, as has been acknowledged by Tony Blair and even the Bush administration, and Essex is in the front line, with many areas lying below sea level and one of the longest coastlines in the country.

“The floods of 1953, still fresh in the minds of many Essex residents, showed how vulnerable the county can be from the rising sea levels associated with global warming.

“Unless we cut global CO2 emissions by some 60 per cent in the next few decades, devastating floods could become an almost annual occurrence here – and to do that we fairly must cut UK emissions by as much as 80 – 90 per cent in the same period.

“The government just isn’t facing up to this reality and, unless the people of Essex are to suffer a similar fate to those in New Orleans last year, it is essential that it does so.”

Dr Lucas made her comments at a conference on flooding and climate change at Leigh-on-Sea’s Quaker Meeting House on Dundonald Road , today (Friday, June 23 rd ). The event was organized by South-East Essex Green Party, and other speakers included Jane Milne from the British Association of insurers and Mary Dhonau, chair of the National Flood Forum.

ENDS