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The Environment Agency has pledged to use low-carbon concrete as a default product on new flood defences, as it pushes to reach net-zero by 2030.
The agency said it is aiming to cut its carbon footprint 45 per cent by 2030, by using a combination of low-carbon concrete, energy-efficient pumps to save houses from flooding, and by reducing the number of vehicles it uses.
It said more than half of its emissions currently come from the construction of flood defences. The agency committed to only using electric cars on its projects by 2023, while continuing to offer flexible working after the lockdowns of the previous year.
A warning of a flooded area
The Environment Agency has announced it will partner with other organisations to tackle the rising threat of flooding and coastal erosion in the coming decades.
The Flood Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy (FCERM) has been updated to account for new climate modelling and flood risks in the country.
As part of the strategy, the Environment Agency will work with Highways England to develop a pipeline of investment in flood-resilient infrastructure; with the Town & Country Planning Association to help planners better account for flood risk and climate change. It will also work with partners in high-risk areas such as the Thames Estuary, Humber Estuary, Severn Valley and Yorkshire to develop long-term plans for adapting to future flooding and climate hazards.
Environment Agency launches new flooding Action Plan
The Environment Agency s FCERM Strategy Action Plan will help to better protect over hundreds of thousands more homes and businesses in the years ahead.
From:
12 May 2021
Communities, local authorities and government working together is crucial if we are to tackle the climate emergency, the Environment Agency said today, as it launched its annual Action Plan to help protect England from flooding and coastal erosion.
England currently remains on course for 59 per cent more winter rainfall and once-a-century sea level events every year by 2100 and major adaptation will be required to meet the changing climate picture.