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Flood Protection Requires Doubling Says Environment Agency Alongside the Government’s publication of the latest climate change projections for the UK, which include increased risk of extreme weather events, including flooding, the Environment Agency has said that flood protection needs to be doubled. According to the Agency, one in six homes in England is at risk of flooding. Furthermore, without better protection, that number is likely to increase given the likely effects of climate change. The Agency has calculated that annual funding for projects designed to protect communities from river and coastal flooding will have to be doubled to £1 billion by 2035. It says that unless this done, the UK can expect economic damage resulting from flooding to total £4 billion per year. The Agency’s report utilises the Government’s climate projections data. One conclusion of these projections is that every part of the UK will receive more winter rainfall. In some regions, this could increase by as much as 20%. The Agency is warning that rivers may carry 20% more water at some periods of the year than at present. It is also worried that, in some regions, the existing sea defences will be overwhelmed unless they are strengthened. Source: Croners
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