When will Britain wake up to the link between climate change and flooding?
Friday, January 15, 2016 - 07:56
in Earth & Climate
The UK has experienced serious and sustained flooding three times in ten years: in 2007, 2013-14 and, most recently, December 2015 to January 2016. This suggests to me an escalation in severity and frequency that is consistent with predictions by climate change experts. It also suggests a need to reimagine the way we live with rivers, the sea and the rain; we need to create a 'new normal' that includes resilience, retreat and acceptance as well as flood defence. Large-scale defences will never be good enough or big enough to keep us all safe; this would be enormously expensive and would ruin the character and environment of our towns and cities.