A Flood Resilience Taskforce aimed at accelerating flood defence development and boosting national resilience to extreme weather held its first meeting today, announced Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed. The taskforce is a coordinated effort to strengthen flood protection measures, bringing together key figures from government, emergency services, local authorities, and experts from various sectors.
The taskforce includes representatives from Defra, the Environment Agency, Cabinet Office, Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Met Office, and local resilience forums, among others. Their primary focus is to speed up the delivery of flood defences and improve flood preparedness in the face of increasing extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate change. The group is also tasked with identifying vulnerable areas and advancing drainage systems, natural flood management schemes, and other defences.
This move comes as the Met Office predicts a wetter-than-usual autumn, raising concerns about increased flood risks. The taskforce is part of a larger strategy to create long-term flood resilience, ensuring both public safety and economic stability amid growing climate-related challenges.
Steve Reed stated: “Flooding devastates communities and businesses across the country. For far too long, the delivery of flood schemes has been too slow and left communities underwater. That is why the new Government is acting now to speed up the building of flood defences and bolster our emergency response.
Floods Minister Emma Hardy, who will chair the taskforce, emphasized the urgent need to address the climate crisis, adding: “As an eyewitness to extreme flooding, I know the devastating impact these events can have. I will work closely with our partners to ensure projects remain on track, protect homes, create green jobs, and drive investment in our towns.
The Environment Agency, the government’s key partner in flood defence construction, continues to prioritize the development and maintenance of critical projects. This includes the Cockett Wick seawall in Essex, a £12 million investment to protect 3,000 homes and businesses. Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management at the Environment Agency, highlighted that protecting communities from flood risks is crucial as climate change drives more extreme weather and rising sea levels.
With 5.5 million properties in England at risk of flooding and the country experiencing the wettest 18 months on record through February 2024, the taskforce’s efforts are critical. The taskforce will meet again in early 2025 to assess the longer-term strategy for flood resilience and discuss any urgent lessons learned from major flooding events.
In related efforts, Floods Minister Emma Hardy also recently engaged with the insurance industry to explore how insurers can play a vital role in building resilience through programs like Build Back Better, which offers up to £10,000 for flood repairs.
Additionally, the government launched the Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure in August, a £40 million initiative aimed at understanding and mitigating the impact of extreme weather across the UK.
