An Extinction Rebellion spokesman is planning to walk the Norfolk coast wearing a snorkel and goggles in an effort to raise awareness of rising sea levels. 

Dr Charlie Gardner, who lives in Ashwicken in west Norfolk, wants to take 15 days to cover a route from 180 miles from Cambridge to King’s Lynn, around the north Norfolk coast to Great Yarmouth and then across to Norwich.

Dr Gardner, who is an associate senior lecturer at the University of Kent, 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.

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North Norfolk News: Dr Charlie Gardner is planning to walk to raise awareness of rising sea levelsDr Charlie Gardner is planning to walk to raise awareness of rising sea levels (Image: Louise Gardner, Walking in Wate)“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.”

Dr Gardner said he hoped his walk would raise awareness of rising sea levels among people living in vulnerable areas, and encourage them to take action themselves to help save their homes and other much-loved places.

He plans to undertake the walk between September 24 and October 8. Places he wants to stop along the way include Wells-nex-th-Sea on September 30, Overstrand on October 2 and Great Yarmouth on October 4. 

Dr Gardner added: “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.”