Thanks to Dan Parsons and Katie Parsons at Loughborough University for the invite to be part of the Foodscapes launch today on campus.
A great opening presentation from John Curtin on the main challenges and solutions in this vital public debate.
The Loughborough University's FloodScapes launch event highlighted global flood risk, affecting 2.2 billion people, or a third of the world's population, with annual damages totalling $billions. But it also helps us define the debate closer to home for residents and Business Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership !
Not surprisingly 89% of those at risk are from low-income countries. The event highlighted the need for adaptation, noting that even if net zero is achieved by 2050, extreme sea level events and flooding will become annual.
Adaptation is often seen as a failure, but it's essential. The event also stressed the importance of community preparedness, noting that only 11% of UK families have flood plans, compared to 6% of those living in floodplains.
The discussion concluded with strategies for resilience: embracing land, layering defenses, and focusing on lives.
How often do we come away from these events with something practical to do-I am now putting into practise a flood reliance plan for my home!
A pleasure to share some public policy and political perspectives about how we create space for academic input into the public square debate about dealing with flooding and how all work together here in Charnwood Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council with local agencies. There are going to be trade-off so we need an open and public debate about what mitigation looks like in a country that will continue to see continued flooding moments in my lifetime. A nice crossover with the work we are doing on sustainability in sport and the impact of flooding as well as other climate impacts!
