Londoners should be charged for paving gardens, says climate resilience report
Review says capital needs new reservoir, better flood defences and 'heat plan' for vulnerable people
Londoners who concrete over their gardens should be charged for doing so and given incentives to remove paving, a report to the mayor has recommended.
The city also needs a new reservoir, improved flood defences, and a "heat plan" to protect vulnerable residents from the increased risk of heatwaves, the report on the impact of the climate crisis has found.
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Surface flooding is also a threat for which London is not sufficiently prepared, the report warns, recommending the creation of a strategic surface water authority. This is partly down to the amount of land that has been concreted over or paved, meaning the ground is less able to soak up water in heavy rainfall.
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London is losing about £577m a year from the effects of heat, the report found. Transport for London lost £8.4m in revenue in the week of the July 2022 heatwave. About 2% to 3% of London's GDP is likely to be lost a year by the 2050s without adaptation.
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