Coastal erosion victim vows to continue legal fight

Kevin Jordan joined forces with Friends of the Earth and a co-claimant to challenge the government

A man who lost his home to coastal erosion said he is "not giving up" after a High Court challenge against the government failed.

Kevin Jordan's home in Hemsby, Norfolk, was demolished in December after storms put it in severe danger of falling into the sea.

Earlier this year, he teamed up with Friends of the Earth and the disability activist Doug Paulley to challenge the previous government's July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP).

A High Court judge dismissed the claim in a written ruling on Friday, which stated there was no "error of law".

In his ruling, Mr Justice Chamberlain said that the government did consider the "equality impacts" of the plan and the risks of implementing it.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had opposed the challenge.

Lawyers for Defra said the campaigners' case was based on "fundamental factual errors" and was an "unfair characterisation" of the approach taken by ministers.

Lawyers for Friends of the Earth and the two co-claimants said they were now considering an appeal.

They argued that the NAP breaches the human rights of both Mr Jordan and Mr Paulley due to what they saw as a lack of effective provision for human rights and the specific risks they faced on heat and coastal erosion.

Campaigners at the High Court challenged the government's plans on climate change

Mr Jordan retired to Hemsby 14 years ago and was told by experts at the time that the coastline by his house had another 80 to 100 years before erosion would threaten it.

He said he "lost everything" when his home was demolished and wanted changes in climate change plans to protect others.

Upon finding out the ruling, he said he was left "speechless".

"It's about people who live on the edge of the coast... it's about people like me who are still living in that situation under threat from coastal erosion."

Mr Jordan said "more needs to be done".

He said: "I've got friends and colleagues down where I lived still there, hanging on by their fingernails close to the edge wondering what the next storm will bring them.

"Now they are in the same position, and it's horrifying for me because I know exactly what they are going through because I went through it."

He now hopes there are grounds for appeal.

Mr Paulley, from Wetherby, West Yorkshire, has several health conditions that he said could be exacerbated by increasing summer temperatures, and therefore he is at greater risk of harm, the complainants said.

Defra was approached for comment, but a spokesman earlier this year told the BBC: "This government will ensure that the UK is prepared for these changes by strengthening resilience across government and local communities."