Call for experts: Committee on adapting to rising sea levels

The IMechE’s Construction and Building Services Division (CBSD) has established a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to address the pressing issue of rising sea levels. We are calling on passionate and knowledgeable professionals to join us in this vital endeavour to futureproof our infrastructure against the impacts of climate change.

Why Your Expertise Matters

Sea levels have risen approximately 20cm since the 1900s, a seemingly small change with profound impacts on coastal communities globally. Urban areas, industrial infrastructure, livelihoods, economies, and overall ways of life are increasingly threatened. As engineers, we are uniquely positioned to devise and implement solutions that can mitigate these impacts.

The Challenges and Our Role

Rising sea levels are driven by thermal expansion, melting glaciers, and the loss of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica. These factors result in significant ecological and economic disruptions, from saltwater contamination of agricultural lands to frequent flooding of homes and infrastructure. Predicting the rate of sea level rise remains challenging, yet it is essential for planning effective responses.

The IMechE has year of experience of leadership in this area. This has included organising international conferences on climate resilience and various policy papers including papers including ‘Rising Sea levels: The Engineering Challenge’ from 2019 and ‘Adapting Industry to Withstand Rising Temperatures and Future Heatwaves’ from 2023.

We also seek to inform governments on solving the major challenges facing humanity, both as an individual institution and together as an engineering community through the National Engineering Policy Centre.

The Importance of Futureproofing

Immediate action is required to develop long-term strategies and design resilient infrastructure. Our role is critical in:

• Updating engineering design specifications and standards.
• Exploring innovative solutions such as elevated buildings and adaptable flood defences.
• Advising on policy and strategy for industrial infrastructure and coastal flooding adaptations.

Call to Action

We are expanding our committee to include engineers, academics, and interested parties who can contribute their expertise to this cause. The TAC aims to:

• Analyse the latest data on sea level rise scenarios.
• Assess the effectiveness of current flood protection measures.
• Explore adaptation options including spatial planning, infrastructure improvements, and contingency planning.

Your involvement is crucial to our success. Together, we can provide the guidance and innovation needed to safeguard our communities and infrastructure against the challenges posed by rising sea levels.

Join Us

We invite you to express your interest in joining the TAC. By participating, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the engineering solutions to one of the most significant global challenges of our time. Let's work together to ensure a resilient and sustainable future.

Please contact us to get involved.

Sincerely,

TAC Chair - Daniel Dominguez Moreno, Chartered Engineer, FCIBSE, MIMechE dominguezmorenodaniel@gmail.com

TAC Vice Chair - Frank Mills, Chartered Engineer, FCIBSE, FIMechE, FASHRAE –famills@hotmail.co.uk

IMechE Policy Team
policy@imeche.org