Academics and environmental activists staged a peaceful process along Puckey Avenue on Monday morning, to show where sea levels could get to if temperatures rose by two, four or six degrees.

If it rises by six degrees the iAccelerate start-ups may need to find new accommodation for their businesses.

“Australia is the biggest contributor [of carbon emissions] in terms of per person, if you don’t include the likes of a couple of Saudi Arabian type countries … because we’re so extravagant,”  warned Tom Hunt from the Wollongong Climate Action Network and member for the Greens Party.

“We’re worse than Americans per capita in terms of the amount of fossil fuel per person we burn.

“It’s hard to believe that our Innovation Campus is going to be under water by the end of the century.”

For a coastal location like the Illawarra it means rising sea levels, due to global warming, would affect prestige waterfront homes, increase the possibility of storm surges and flooding, plus erode beaches.

Mr Hunt said he was worried about the future of our children and grandchildren so is trying to do all he can to help reduce the amount of fossil fuels burnt.

This included marching with a placard along Puckey Avenue: “every kilogram of fossil fuel we burn is making the problem worse.”

UOW’s Dr George Takacs explained the flags were a rough estimate of where the ocean could rise to because “sea levels continue to rise long after you’ve hit a temperature”.

“We should be really worried … [US security forces] see this as the major threat to global security this century,” Dr Takacs said.

For anyone still under the impression climate change is a myth, Dr Takacs invites them to pose any questions they have to a panel of experts at a public forum on Wednesday at Beaton Park Tennis Club, from 7pm.

It's one of the many events being held as part of Global Climate Change Week with open lectures, more discussion panels and events at UOW’s Wollongong campus and around the city.

Mr Hunt said the ultimate outcome from this week would be to see more investment and more commitment from the community and governments in moving away from fossil fuels.

“It’s possible to convert us entirely away from fossil fuels within the next two decades.”

For more information visit: www.facebook.com/gccwatuow