Floods will engulf London if we do not change our environmental policy (Warning)

13 October 2021

The British government was warned recently that parts of London will be completely flooded if environmental policies remain unchanged.

The Environment agency warned of more flood and droughts, rising sea levels, and greater pressure on water supplies due to climate change, according to the Independent. England must be prepared to manage these situations accordingly.

Cutting carbon emissions is not enough

The UK seems to focus all of its environmental efforts on cutting down carbon emissions that it is neglecting to place adaptation measures against the inevitable effects of climate change.

This year has already seen three major floods in different part of London, one of which was early this October. That is despite the flood defences the country has in place.

According to the Independent, population growth and climate change will also increase the demand for water, meaning that if no further action is taken between 2025 and 2050, more than 3.4 billion extra litres of water per day will be needed for resilient public water supplies.

Shifting gears on environmental policies

The Environment Agency said it was working with government, businesses and communities on boosting flood protection, and with watchdog Ofwat on water supplies.

The public body said it was also focusing on restoring and creating peatlands, wetlands and other habitats to create resilient places for wildlife, reduce the risk of flooding, improve water quality and boost access to green spaces for people.

The warnings in the Environment Agency’s third adaptation report come as Labour urged the prime minister to “start being a statesman” or risk failure at Cop26.

Source: The Independent