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Comment: Building Flood Resilience
In our rear view we can still see the effects of the scorching summer temperatures, but as the seasons begin to change, I have been looking ahead to what could be an exceptionally wet winter, exacerbated by the emergence of the ‘Super El Niño’.
Caused by unusually warm sea surface temperatures across the Pacific Ocean, this phenomenon disrupts weather systems around the world and could be one of the strongest on record. Whilst no single weather event can be predicted with certainty, experts warn that it could exacerbate the UK’s increasingly extreme weather patterns, bringing a greater risk of severe rainfall, flooding and storms.
With this in mind, I was pleased that West Sussex County Council agreed to meet with me to discuss flood preparedness. This marks a welcome change from last winter, when the previous Conservative administration declined my request for a similar meeting despite severe flooding affecting communities across the constituency.
I was encouraged by the positive measures the Council has taken so far. This includes clearing their drainage assets such as ditches, gullies and culverts, with priority given to flood-prone areas, and progressing long-term drainage solutions in particularly complex locations such as Shripney. I was also pleased to learn that work is underway to ensure roads are in the best possible condition ahead of winter, especially in areas that are most vulnerable to flooding.
It’s also crucial that we consider the bigger picture and the long-term measures needed to tackle climate change and to build resilience against the impacts of extreme weather. Yet, in a move that seems entirely out of touch with these challenges, the Conservatives used their Party Conference to announce plans to scrap net zero requirements for new homes, abolish the Climate Change Committee, and scrap green bodies like the Environment Agency and Natural England.
This comes on top of their announcement last year to repeal the Climate Change Act and abandon the UK’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050. At a time when communities are facing an increased risk of flooding and other extreme weather events, the Conservatives are backtracking on their own climate commitments, rather than building resilience and safeguarding the planet for future generations.
The Liberal Democrats are pushing for greater protection for communities by implementing a comprehensive UK adaptation strategy, embedding climate resilience into decision-making across all government departments and agencies to prevent problems before they happen. We would also deliver adequate funding to local communities to combat flooding, drought and heatwaves, and support homeowners to install proactive adaptation measures against flooding and overheating.
Locally, I am looking forward to meeting with the Environment Agency next week, to continue my conversations around local preparedness and flood risk ahead of winter.
