The government rejected their own committee’s advice on flood preparedness

2016-01-02

Reports have emerged that the Government’s own climate change advisers warned comprehensive action was required to protect homes from flooding, but ministers rejected their advice.

The Committee on Climate Change published a report in June naming the government’s failure to act against the danger posed by extreme flooding as their worst failing. The report advised that the government “develop a strategy to address the increasing number of homes in areas of high flood risk”.

The Independent reports that a decision was made in October not to invest in a strategy to combat the increased risk, starting it would “not be appropriate at this time” - just weeks before flooding in Cumbria.

Daniel Johns, the CCC’s head of adaptation, told the Guardian that “the CCC made a very clear recommendation in its statutory advice, but the government rejected it”.