Scientist to walk in mask and snorkel to highlight threat of climate change and rising sea levels

A scientist from West Norfolk is set to walk across the county dressed in a mask and snorkel almost entirely on land that is threatened by sea level rise.

Dr Charlie Gardner, from Ashwicken, who is a senior lecturer at The University of Kent and a climate activist, will trek for 15 days from Cambridge, via Lynn and the coast, to Norwich, in an attempt to highlight the dangers of climate change.

Dr Gardner says his concern is that if we do not act now “the landscapes of eastern England that we’re so familiar with could be completely transformed, within the lifetimes of people already born”.

His campaign with activist group Extinction Rebellion will run from this Sunday to October 8.

He says its primary focus is on how the “sea levels are rising, which is a direct result of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels and other types of carbon emissions”.

Over 15 days he will be covering 180 miles from Cambridge to Norwich almost entirely on land that is threatened by sea levels rising, including West Norfolk locations such as Lynn, Downham, Snettisham and Brancaster.

For inland areas such as the Fens and the Broads, the rising sea levels could mean severe flooding which threatens the homes of tens of thousands of people.

Dr Gardner said: “Our homes and many of the places we love are threatened by climate change, yet the government is ignoring the urgent warnings of the global scientific community.

“We know what needs to be done to keep us safe, we need to stop burning fossil fuels, yet the government is still allowing new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, opening new coal mines, and holding us back from moving on to a better, safer ways of doing things.”

“I feel like we’ve been abandoned by the people who are in charge of keeping us safe, but there is lots we can all do in our own lives to turn the situation around.

“That starts by recognising the threat and talking about it, so I hope my walk will help start a few conversations.”

The conservation scientist will be joined by many other campaigners and local residents on his journey as well as a few councillors from Norfolk County Council.

To read more about the cause or to get involved, visit walkinginwater.com

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