Flooding events bring misery to communities: and it appears to be getting worse. Records are being broken with Storm Babet, in October 2023, causing some rivers in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to break their banks to exceed their highest levels yet, and a record number of flood alerts were issued in the first quarter of 2024 across England.
At the end of November, Storm Bert flooded in excess of 100 homes and over the weekend, Storm Darragh triggered over 200 flood warnings and flood alerts across England.
To get to the root of the issue and identify how to boost England’s flood resilience, the Environmental Audit Committee has today launched an inquiry. With the effects of man-made climate change making flooding events more likely, MPs are hoping to understand how authorities are tackling flooding events, what measures are needed to future proof against flooding and what support is needed by householders and businesses to boost their own resilience.
EAC will be examining the strengths of nature-based solutions versus hard infrastructure as resilience assets, whether current metrics for monitoring flooding events before they happen are working effectively, and what the Flood Resilience Taskforce should prioritise.
Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Toby Perkins MP, said: “Flooding causes anger, frustration and misery for too many communities, with people asking time and again why the same places continue to be hit. Homes, businesses, public transport, infrastructure: all are at the mercy of flooding exacerbated by climate change.
“Our Committee is determined to get to the bottom of whether enough is being done to build our nation’s flood resilience. We’re committed to examining how we can boost flood defences and to uncover if flood management authorities are working effectively together.”
Environmental Audit Committee members, Julia Buckley MP and Cameron Thomas MP, said: "In our constituencies of Shrewsbury and Tewkesbury, the threat of flooding is a year-long concern. In recent weeks, both Storm Bert and Storm Darragh have brought flooding into the national consciousness, though our own constituents live with the prospect of flooding throughout the year, and regularly suffer its devastating impacts. This recurring issue threatens livelihoods, destroys belongings and leaves families in despair. As policymakers, we must do all we can to ensure flood management structures are fit for purpose, in the present and for the future.
“We would like to encourage anybody with views on this matter to contribute written evidence: particularly those in our own constituencies, whom sadly have first-hand experience of the devastation flooding causes."
