The submission by Prof. Trevor Hoey (Director) with Dr Carola König, Dr Philip Collins, Dr Pedro Martin-Moreta, Dr Sotirios Argyroudis, and Dr Abiy Kebede highlighted the following Key Issues and recommended solutions in Flood Resilience in England:
- Failure to Implement Previous Recommendations
- Critical recommendations from past reports (e.g., Future Flooding 2004, Pitt Review 2008) remain unimplemented or under-resourced.
- Successive governments have lacked a coordinated framework to ensure resilience improvements.
- Flood Resilience Needs a System-Wide Approach
- Planning must occur at catchment and coastal cell scales rather than fragmented local approaches.
- Stronger institutions and independent bodies could improve decision-making and coordination.
- Recognizing Natural River and Coastal Dynamics
- The UK underestimates the natural dynamism of rivers and coasts, leading to ineffective flood control strategies.
- Misguided reliance on dredging often wastes resources without reducing flood risk.
- Natural Flood Management (NFM) as Part of the Solution
- NFM has benefits but is not a standalone solution. It is most effective for moderate floods but unlikely to mitigate extreme events.
- Long-term commitments are needed for maintenance and large-scale NFM projects.
- Urgent Need for Expertise and Training
- There is a skills shortage in flood risk management, with graduates often diverted to other sectors.
- Government should invest in STEM incentives to attract students to this critical field.
Conclusion
Flood risk will continue to rise due to climate change. A coordinated, catchment-based approach is essential, along with investment in expertise and better national planning to protect critical infrastructure and improve resilience.
Read the full written evidence submission here