The Environment Agency has published a new economic
assessment to aid planning for flooding and coastal risk
management over the next 50 years.
The study uses new climate change, population and mapping
data to set out potential future scenarios, assessing how
funding could be best allocated to meet these challenges.
The long-term investment scenarios report states that
without sustained investment, future flood damage to
properties and infrastructure in England will significantly
increase. It estimates that an average annual investment of
£1 billion will be necessary up to 2065.
The overall benefit to cost ratio of the new estimates is 9
to 1, which means for every £1 spent on protecting
communities, around £9 in property damages and wider
impacts would be avoided.
A full range of climate change scenarios demonstrate that a
number of measures are needed to ensure that communities
are resilient over the next half-century. These include
building and maintaining large-scale engineered defences,
natural flood management techniques such as planting trees
and slowing the flow of water and property flood resilience
for homes.
The findings will also provide new evidence for planning
authorities and developers. As the population grows, the
number of properties in the flood plain is set to almost
double over the next 50 years. Current planning policy and
implementation limits the impact on flood risk but
continuing to make the right investment and planning
decisions will be vital to keep pace with population growth
and climate change.
Julie Foley, Director Flood Strategy at the Environment
Agency said:
This report sets out the level of investment we need to
consider over the next 50 years alongside the action we
need to take to ensure that communities, businesses and
vital infrastructure are resilient to flooding and
coastal erosion.
The scenarios are a key evidence base to inform our Flood
and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, due later
this year, and will help government, businesses and the
insurance industry plan for the future.
The report findings highlight the importance of continued
investment to protect infrastructure including transport
and utility networks, 41% of which are located in areas
which are at risk of flooding.
The impacts of flooded infrastructure can be far more
extensive than the immediate water damage, impacting on
supply chains, travel and access to key services like
hospitals and schools. The National Flood
Resilience Reviewsets out how government is working
with utilities companies, regulators and others to
implement long-term resilience plans.
The Environment Agency is investing £2.6 billion in flood
and coastal erosion risk management projects between 2015
and 2021, helping to protect 300,000 homes. Later this
year, the EA will consult on its new Flood and Coastal
Erosion Risk Management Strategy which sets out the long
term vision for a nation more resilient to flooding and
coastal change.
