Recent announcements by the government of “record” flood defence investment overshadow welcome improvements to how these projects are to be funded in future. But insurer warnings over the ability to cover people’s homes in flood-prone areas should jolt the government from its conflicted policy stance in this field (Towns may have to be abandoned due to floods with millions more homes in Great Britain at risk, 14 October)
Investment of £10.5bn over the next 10 years is technically “a record”, but less of an increase than the Environment Agency’s updated assessment of national flood risk earlier this year. And compared with the more than £100bn being spent by water companies over just five years to clean up sewage and build reservoirs, it’s a comparative drop in the (rising) ocean.
