Next steps for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England – infrastructure resilience, land use, and insurance

EnergyAs we expect discussion on environmental protection from flooding and adapting to climate change – with a keynote address from Julie Foley, Director, Flood Risk Strategy & National Adaptation, Environment Agency and Richard Bramley, NFU Environment Forum – I thought this might be of interest to environmental groups.

The conference is bringing together policymakers and key stakeholders – across communities and local authorities, land owners, and the engineering, agriculture, utilities, insurance and housing sectors – to examine flooding policy and priorities for the new government.

It takes place with the Committee on Climate Change highlighting the increased risk of winter rainfall and rising sea levels to the UK, and the Queen’s Speech outlining the Government’s plans to adapt to climate change – including investing in £4bn of flood defences.

We expect discussion on:

• Flood resilience and adaptation – following The Environment Agency’s National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) strategy for England, due in Spring;
• Infrastructure priorities – with the National Infrastructure Commission carrying out a resilience study examining the impact of climate change on the UK’s infrastructure; and
• The Flood Re insurance scheme – following the publication of its five-yearly review which set out how to encourage properties to increase their resilience.

Speakers and chair

There will be keynote contributions from:

• David Cooper, Deputy Director, Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management, Defra;
• Matt Crossman, Head of Resilience Study, National Infrastructure Commission;
• Julie Foley, Director, Flood Risk Strategy & National Adaptation, Environment Agency;
• Mark Hoban, Chair, Flood Re; and
• Laura Hughes, Manager, General Insurance, Association of British Insurers.

Further confirmed speakers include: Richard Bramley, NFU Environment Forum; Fay Bull, AECOM; Daniel Cook, Ambiental; Dr Tim Fox IMechE; Jo Harrison, United Utilities; Heather Shepherd, National Flood Forum; Innes Thomson, Association of Drainage Authorities and Councillor Andrew Waller, City of York Council.

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering, Co-Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Water Group and Member, House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee has kindly agreed to chair part of this seminar.

The agenda

• Implementing the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England;
• Future-proofing critical infrastructure – the National Infrastructure Commission’s Resilience Study;
• Delivering the FCERM strategy for England – flood resilience infrastructure, land use, natural flood management, and community engagement;
• Update on Flood Re – encouraging a ‘build back better’ approach, supporting resilience measures, and next steps following the five yearly (Quinquennial) review;
• Planning sustainable developments and implementing strategic flood risk assessments;
• Case study: future proofing new housing developments;
• Developing farmland flood resistance – protecting, restoring and accounting for farm valuation;
• Protecting coastal industrial infrastructure – increasing awareness of sea level rise and the engineering challenges, and updating design codes; and
• Next steps for flooding resilience policy.

Engagement with policy officials at this conference

This Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum conference has attracted particularly strong interest from policymakers. It will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with officials who have reserved places representing: CCC; Defra; MHCLG; NAO; Ofwat; ORR; The Coal Authority; UK Space Agency and the Welsh Government.