AS MANY as 400 million people would be exposed to coastal flooding every year by the end of the century if Greenland continues to lose ice at its current rate, scientists in Britain have warned.

The figure is 40 million higher than the numbers predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a UN organisation evaluating scientific research on global warming.

A new study by the University of Leeds shows that Greenland’s ice is melting faster than expected. Researchers forecast sea levels could rise by 76cm (26 inches) by the end of the century unless measures are taken to reduce the effects of global warming.

Dr Andrew Shepherd, a professor of earth observation at the university, said: “As a rule of thumb, for every centimetre rise in global sea level another six million people are exposed to coastal flooding around the planet.

“On current trends, Greenland ice melting will cause 100 million people to be flooded each year by the end of the century, so 400 million in total due to all sea-level rise.

“These are not unlikely events or small impacts: they are happening and will be devastating for coastal communities.”