By Fiona Harvey
Last year was one of the worst in recent times for both flooding and drought in England, a study has found.
[…]
There were more than 5,600 flood warnings in England in 2019, more than in any of the last 15 years except 2012. Groundwater levels were lower than normal in 25 areas, more than in any year since comparable records began in 2006.
[…]
Having both very wet and very dry weather is unusual but is likely to become more common as weather becomes more extreme as a result of climate change. People may begin to experience both water shortages and flooding, putting infrastructure under unprecedented strain.
[…]
Wildlife will also suffer, a group of conservation charities have said. They estimate that only 1% of current spending on flooding and drought goes to nature-based solutions such as restoring water meadows and wetlands, which can act like a sponge to store water under flooding and as natural reservoirs at times of drought.
[…]