UK floods: £500m needed for climate change adaptation

By William Brittlebank

Government advisers in the UK have warned that £500 million is needed over the next four years to prepare for the increased risk of flooding brought about by the effects of climate change.

There are currently 16 severe flood warnings in place across the South East and South West of England which has experienced heavy flooding and storms over the last few weeks.

The Met Office has issued warnings for wind in Wales, south-west England and London and south-east England, and storms have already disrupted rail services and left over 40,000 homes temporarily without power.

The latest round of poor weather has exacerbated problems in many areas that have already been affected including the Somerset Levels – where flooding has cut off many villages for over a month.

Prime Minister David Cameron has vowed to do all he can to help flood victims and is expected to chair another Cobra emergency committee meeting in London today.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has warned that climate change will cause "more extreme weather events" like the floods and although it would be wrong to "attribute any one event to climate change"; Miliband urged the government to invest more in flood defences.

Daniel Johns, head of adaptation at the Committee on Climate Change has argued that the government could do more to prevent such severe effects of the flooding.

Johns said, “Urban green space is being lost and gardens are being paved over. Permeable paving options are available but their take-up appears very low.”

Johns has called for sustainable drainage systems, which manage surface water and slow the rate that it enters drains, to be introduced.

According to Johns, £500 million is needed over four years to increase resiliency to flooding and storms or further disruption and damage can be expected to cost as much as £3 billion.