Responding to the risk of flooding Andrew Watkinson School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia

Flooding Flood risk represents a combination of the probability of the occurrence with its potential consequences

2005: £575m per year 2035: £1 billion per year Managing the risk Source: Evans et al Foresight flood risk But..... Flooding from intense rainfall events

Climate Change Risk Assessment The global climate is changing and warming will continue over the next century The UK is already vulnerable to extreme weather, including flooding and heatwaves Flood risk is projected to increase significantly across the UK UK water resources are projected to come under increased pressure Potentially, there are health benefits as well as threats related to climate change, affecting the most vulnerable groups in our society Sensitive ecosystems are likely to come under increasing pressure etc

National Adaptation Programme Implement FCERM Strategy for EnglandDefra/EA Secure, with industry, new arrangements for flood insurance beyond 2013 Government/industry Develop Local Flood Risk Management strategies that set out the approach to managing local flood risk and consider the effect of future climate change and the increasing severity of weather events Lead Local Flood Authorities/EA 1.To reduce the risk of death and illness associated with severe weather events and climate change and increase preparedness and resilience to the impacts on public health. 2.To promote climate resilience within the NHS, public health and social care system to ensure continuity of services and resilient assets/estates, including the ability to deal with the increased demand for services associated with severe weather related events. Actions to promote climate resilience in the health and social care system Actions to address flood risk

Health Impacts Drowning Physical injury Diarrhoeal disease Vector- and rodent-borne diseases Chemical contamination Respiratory infections Skin/eye infections Mental health Damage to health care infrastructure and loss of essential drugs Damage to water and sanitation infrastructure Damage to crops and/or disruption of food supplies Damage/destruction of property Disruption of livelihood and income Population displacement Direct Indirect Source: Ahern and Kovats 2006

Thinking through the adaptation response