To mark the global spotlight on Green Football’s Great Save initiative, the first-of-its-kind activation will see Sunderland’s iconic coastal crest altered to demonstrate the potential impact of rising sea levels.
Since 1880, global average sea levels have risen 21–24 centimetres and predictions estimate that parts of the English coastline could be submerged by 2050, including the iconic Roker Pier and Sunderland Marina.
The highest temperature in any year since 1850 was recorded in 2024 (Met Office) and the speed at which the temperature is increasing is having devastating impacts on our planet, including heatwaves, flooding, droughts, wildfires, rising sea levels, and health risks.
Those increasingly volatile weather conditions are also impacting the here and now in the North East, with 2023’s Storm Babet leading to significant structural damage to Roker Pier, which remains closed.
