UK: Erosion 'could hit 160 South Devon properties'

According to an Environment Agency report, "60 properties could be lost to the sea in south Devon over the next 23 years," writes the BBC. As sea levels rise, storms are becoming more destructive, and with the effects of climate change, the erosion is accelerating and thus, more sustainable defences are needed.

The agency stated: "Approximately 10% of the population in England and Wales are at risk from coastal flooding; billions of pounds of infrastructure are at risk from this and coastal erosion. Coastal flood risk management needs to take account of the local features of each section of the coast in order to be managed effectively: a 'one size fits all' approach won't be cost effective. As a result of this, coastal flooding is managed through the Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) on each stretch of the coast. We work alongside local authorities in developing each SMP to ensure that coastal flooding is managed sustainably."