Why is Britain so bad at dealing with flooding?
Britain’s approach to managing flood risk faces mounting challenges amid intensifying storms and ageing flood infrastructure. Dr Matthew Ling, GHD’s Nature-Based Solutions Lead, emphasises the need for innovative, large-scale investments in natural flood-management strategies. These solutions, such as restoring wetlands and peatlands, can complement traditional defences while reducing long-term risks.
With funding constraints and deteriorating infrastructure, GHD advocates for a collaborative approach involving government and private-sector investment to boost resilience. Dr Ling asserts that sustained political will and holistic planning are vital to addressing flood risks proactively, ensuring better protection for communities year-round.
With severe weather events occurring more frequently, the ‘business-as-usual’ grey engineered approaches do not always represent the most effective options viable.
“Nature-based solutions, where natural features and processes are used strategically to deliver a range of benefits, including to reduce the risk of flooding through the restoration of wetlands and creating saltmarshes for example, are fast becoming an attractive alternative.
“A combination of political will and investment must go hand-in-hand to enhance flood protection measures all year round — not just once a storm hits.”
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About GHD
GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Committed to a vision to make water, energy, and communities sustainable for generations to come, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction solutions to public and private sector clients. Established in 1928 and privately owned by its people, GHD’s network of 12,000+ professionals is connected across 160 offices located on five continents.