Uk Overflowing Prevention: The Missing Billion

2007 saw rattling bad flooding inwards the UK. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 study was commissioned from Michael Pitt (no longer available on a authorities website, merely available here (pdf), HT @FiDaisyG) which stated:

ES.12 The scale of the occupation is, equally nosotros know, probable to instruct worse. We are non certain whether final summer’s events were a remove effect of climate change, merely nosotros make know that events of this variety are expected to leave of absence to a greater extent than frequent. The scientific analysis nosotros convey commissioned equally constituent of this Review (published amongst this Report) shows that climate modify has the potential to crusade fifty-fifty to a greater extent than extreme scenarios than were previously considered possible. The province must adjust to increasing overflowing risk.

The Labour authorities responded to this review past times substantially increasing primal authorities spending on overflowing prevention. It reached a peak inwards 2010/11, the final twelvemonth of the relevant spending review. Subsequently the coalition government, equally constituent of its austerity policy, cutting dorsum on spending, going remove against the spirit of the Pitt review.

It was obvious next 2007 that substantially to a greater extent than coin needed to last spent on overflowing prevention equally a effect of climate change, too the Labour authorities acted on that knowledge. The Coalition authorities ignored it. Suppose that instead of cutting, the coalition authorities had allowed spending to increment each twelvemonth past times 2% from that 2010/11 level: a rattling small-scale rising given the nature of the risk. That would convey meant that past times 2015/16 to a greater extent than or less £500 i one 1000 thousand to a greater extent than inwards 15/16 prices would convey been spent inwards total, which is nigh iii quarters of the total amount spent this year. As 2014/15 is acknowledged equally a one-off positive blip, past times 2020/21 nether Conservative plans nosotros volition in all likelihood last looking at missing expenditure nigh £1 billion. And that is despite all the flooding that has occurred since 2011, some of the harm from which must last the effect of this missing spending. That is a huge spending gap created past times the Conservatives.

Spending on Flood Protection, 15/16 prices: actual (source DEFRA) too hypothetical 2% growth path

I even too then abide by it remarkable that no i has held the authorities to describe of piece of work organisation human relationship for this huge failure. Flooding is currently costing at to the lowest degree £1 billion a year. Even if filling that spending gap had prevented entirely a little proportion of these electrical flow too futurity costs, it would convey produced a handsome return, equally good equally avoiding a slap-up bargain of private heartbreak. Yet the authorities continues to instruct away with talking nigh unprecedented rainfall, equally if no i had idea this powerfulness happen. John Deben, Chairman of the Statutory Committee on Climate Change, tweets

"Surprising no broadcaster seems to convey sought to utter over advice on flooding too adaptation to climate modify given to Government"

The Labour Party equally good appears to convey made no endeavour to coordinate a media ready on on the government, inwards an expanse where their ain tape was exemplary. DEFRA secretarial assistant of province at the fourth dimension that Labour increased overflowing defences was Hilary Benn, who is MP for Leeds (one of the areas affected past times flooding) too Ed Miliband was the government minister inwards accuse of loose energy too climate change. The electrical flow DEFRA shadow government minister is Kerry McCarthy, too all I could abide by from her on flooding was this too this.

Speaking nigh the latest flooding, David Cameron said “We volition make everything nosotros tin to assist people inwards this, their hr of need.” It is a shame that no i seems capable of yell for him why he added to these needs, past times ignoring the growing prove (including the Pitt review) that to a greater extent than coin needed to last spent on overflowing defences.