The Environment Agency (EA) has today launched a roadmap setting out practical actions to be taken over the next four years to tackle the growing threat of flooding from rivers, the sea, and surface water as well as coastal erosion.
The FCERM Strategy Roadmap aims to ensure the population is better prepared for the unavoidable impacts of climate change by ensuring the country is resilient and ready to respond and adapt to flooding and coastal change.
The Environment Agency will be delivering the roadmap with many partners including local authorities, local drainage boards, farmers, environmental groups, infrastructure providers and the insurance sector.
Delivery of the actions in the roadmap will:
- Ensure that new homes will be safe from flooding;
- Maximise the use of nature to enhance flood and coastal resilience while aiding nature recovery;
- Improve the flood resilience of roads, railways, and other vital national infrastructure;
- Ensure the delivery of environmental improvements and sustainable growth as part of flood and coastal projects;
- Enhance our flood forecasting and warning services to help people be better prepared to respond to flood events;
- Support building back better to reduce the damage and disruption caused by flooding;
- Work with communities and local partners to develop long term plans to manage future flooding and coastal change and adapt to future hazards.
This roadmap has been launched by Environment Agency Chief Executive Sir James Bevan and Floods Minister Rebecca Pow at the Flood and Coast Conference.
It directly supports the implementation of the £5.2 billion capital investment programme which will better protect many hundreds of thousands of properties from flooding and coastal erosion by 2027.
Floods Minister Rebecca Pow said:
“This roadmap sets out how we can build a more resilient nation. It will work alongside our record investment of £5.2 billion in flood and coastal defences between 2021 and 2027 to help better protect communities.
“Climate change will only bring more extreme weather and this roadmap will spur on the timely action required to manage flood and coastal risk, help reduce the costly impacts and manage the risks to people’s homes and businesses across the country.”
