Deep Sea Rising

An educational 360 animated video questioning what rising sea levels could entail for London’s future topology.

Predictions of rising sea levels are shown to have detrimental effects on areas of land. In 2017, the UN Ocean Conference stated almost two- thirds of the world’s cities with populations of over five million are located in areas at risk of sea level rise. In London, 1.25 million people live and work in areas of tidal and fluvial flood risk.

Deep Sea Rising shares statistics and imagines what the effects of cli- mate change could entail for the future environment. The 360 video gives statistics and information alongside computer generated animations. Spoken narrative and sound submerge environments. The immersive video calls attention to the climate crisis within the local area of London and the wider landscape. Government policy and infrastructure response, effects of flooding on biodiversity and detriments to health are addressed. The piece looks to focus on the reduction in the area of the land we live on, and to provoke the question of how we can avoid the loss of landscape and habitats.

The work was funded by Wandsworth Council and featured in Wandsworth Arts Fringe and The Climate Museum UK.

The 360 video shares statistics and information alongside computer generated animations. Spoken narrative and sound submerge environments. Immersive video calls attention to the climate crisis within the artists’ local area of London and the wider landscape. Government policy and infrastructure response, effects of flooding on biodiversity and detriments to health are addressed.

In 2017, the UN Ocean Conference stated almost two-thirds of the world’s cities with populations of over five million are located in areas at risk of sea level rise. In London, 1.25 million people live and work in areas of tidal and fluvial flood risk.

The Thames Estuary 2100 plan aims to protect 1.3 million people as well as £275 billion worth of property and infrastructure from increasing difficulties such as population growth, aging flood defences and climate change.

Nine Elms currently depends on London’s flood defences.

Urban pluvial flooding is caused by intense and/or prolonged rainfall overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems. The problem is exacerbated in London because its built on impermeable clay.

Infrastructure is in place to take into account the risks of flooding in London. The Thames Estuary 2100 adaptive plan takes into account a series of 10 indicators including; sea level rise, increased storminess, sea surge height and a range of socio-economic indicators including riverside growth and development. Raising the defence heights and new infrastructure will be necessary in the future and the plan will require collaboration between communities and local boroughs.