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.”
Media contact
Acerca de GHD
GHD es una empresa líder en servicios profesionales que opera en los mercados mundiales de agua, energía y recursos, medio ambiente, infraestructura y edificaciones, y transporte. Comprometidos con la visión de garantizar que el agua, la energía y las comunidades sean sostenibles para las futuras generaciones, GHD ofrece soluciones en consultoría, servicios digitales, ingeniería, arquitectura, medio ambiente y construcción a clientes del sector público y privado. Fundada en 1928 y propiedad de sus trabajadores, GHD cuenta con una red de más de 12.000 profesionales en más de 160 oficinas en cinco continentes.