Climate crisis: flooding threat 'may force UK towns to be abandoned'

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/09/climate-crisis-flooding-threat-may-force-uk-towns-to-be-abandoned

Climate crisis: flooding threat ‘may force UK towns to be abandoned’

Sandra Laville

Thu 9 May 2019 00.01 BST Last modified on Thu 9 May 2019 01.00 BST

Entire communities might need to be moved away from coasts and rivers as the UK takes urgent action to prepare for an average global temperature rise of 4C, the Environment Agency warned. The agency said on Thursday that difficult decisions would have to be taken in the coming years to make sure the UK was resilient amid flooding that would not be held back by higher land defences.

Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the agency, set out the regulator’s long-term strategy for tackling flooding and coastal change, which, she said, was a preparation for a 4C rise in global temperatures. The rise is far in excess of the target of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels set in the legally binding Paris Agreement of 2015.
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The strategy text says the approach to flood protection and assessing risk had to change. “We need to act now without delay … we need to apply a different philosophy.”

Instead of acting once a flood had happened the country needed to build “climate resilient” communities, homes and businesses, and simply building bigger and bigger walls as defences was not the solution, the document says.

The policy calls for natural barriers and flood relief systems, but also for an increase in the resilience of homes and businesses against the inevitable flooding with such structures as flood doors and stone floors.

The strategy also makes clear that some areas of the UK and some homes and businesses cannot be protected. “Despite our collective best efforts, we will not always be able to prevent flooding and coastal change happening.” The priority in these areas will be to keep people safe, minimise damage and aid quick recovery. Ultimately it may also mean supporting individuals and communities in a move from an affected area.
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[defacto7]

1. It makes me curious about the prediction for The Netherlands.