New items this week in yellow
Storms Ciara and Dennis have prompted a torrent of commentary going way beyond the standard mantra of Government on cost beneficial investment. The themes from the last two weeks are merged here illustrating that the issues go well beyond discussions of investment in big flood schemes. It is about time the Government recognised and lead on this wider agenda.
The Government’s response
Government justify their flood and erosion risk investment decisions
Hypocrisy – Government ask EU for funds for flood damage! This is behind a pay wall
Major package of support for storm-hit areas
Farmers give the Government a pasting over their response to the floods
Government on the back foot for lack of leadership and not the Environment Agency – Tory press quick to ladle out the blame
Speech by Sir James Bevan: Defusing the ‘Weather Bomb’: The Future of Flood Defence
Emma Howard Boyd defends the EA against another attack by the Times
Letter to The Telegraph from Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency
Records everywhere
February 2020 wettest on record, 5th wettest winter https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/press-office/news/weather-and-climate/2020/2020-winter-february-stats
John Curtin 2/3/2020 UPDATE: Given the rainfall averages were so far beyond the norm the Met Office have released this new version of the map with a new scale. Some parts of our country had 4 times the monthly average rainfall in February – 4 times! And #TeamEA were there every day to help…. pic.twitter.com/SUF5hHdMEv
River level records broken across the country
The number of flood incidents at any one time hits an historic high – John Curtin
Ciara rainfalls … 40 mm – 80mm normal – Cumbria 179mm in a day
Guardian: Storm Dennis everything you need to know
Austerity – how can you keep cutting local authority, blue light and the EA and expect to be able to respond to large scale national emergencies
Government ignored Pitt advice
The cuts to the Environment Agency over the last 10 years – 50% are now well known
The Fire Brigades Union has highlighted cuts to its operations and lack of formal recognition of role in floods in England
House building on Flood plains and risks for new housing – Bright Blue analysis
Planning and flooding – 26/02/17 Alastair Chisholm CIWEM: Depressing example of how local planning authorities are too frequently caught between a #flooding rock and a developer-planning inspectorate hard place when trying to reconcile climate and housing crises. worcesternews.co.uk/news/18261727.…
More than 11,000 homes in England to be built on land at high risk of flooding https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/23/more-than-11000-homes-to-be-built-on-land-at-high-risk-of-flooding?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
One in 10 new homes in England built on land with high flood risk https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/19/one-in-ten-new-homes-in-england-built-on-land-with-high-flood-risk?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Integrated catchment solutions – Natural solutions We need investment in integrated assessments of the measures to be taken throughout catchments – including natural flood management measures
Natural flood management not enough
Dredging not the answer CIWEM
Beavers: The Devon Wildlife Trust have produced a report on the fiver year trial reintroduction – click here to read the report and to see a range of material including videos on this project.
The need for resilience
CIWEM The Property Flood Resilience Code of Practice also recently launched at House of Commons
The role of the insurance industry
Insurance companies sleep walking into catastrophe
The scale of Climate change and the response necessary
Guardian: Climate & science UK must prepare for more intense and regular storms
UK flood defence plans are inadequate, warn scientists