Friday 5 February 2016

Flood Resilience

In the UK, and the World as a whole, the impact of Climate Change is becoming very significant and appears to be coming ever more so. Planet Earth is becoming subject to more extensive and extreme global weather patterns.

The weather in Britain over the last few winters has become wetter, several years ago the Somerset Levels were flooded for many months and now the north of the UK has been repeatedly flooded many times in a very short period. Rain intensities of 300mm per day have recently been recorded in the UK. This is many times greater than would have previously been considered possible. However, these figures are being eclipsed by new extreme values in the far east of over 1.2m in a single day!

The population of the UK has repeatedly written to the Government to highlight many issues of inadequate policies over many past parliaments. It is acknowledged that some flooding would still have occurred, if reasonable measures had previously been implemented. However, the rate of climate change on the planet is far beyond what even sensible house keeping measures would have controlled.

The tabloids have picked up on the word “Flood Resilient” and it has become a buzz word on most peoples agenda. However, continuing to allow the much needed new houses to be built in flood zones is not reasonable, sensible or sustainable.

Will the politicians and their immediate advisers, continue to allow new developments to be built in  flood zones?

The ruling Government time and time again only considers the short term policy impact, irrespective of the consequences. Decisions on the way forward, need to be made by groups of appropriately selected professionals, where holistic long term solutions are created, without the need to confirm to party edits. The policy decisions made by any Government must be tempered by sound advice from our Engineers and Scientists. The view from most town windows is almost totally controlled by  Design Engineers or Civil Engineers. The resolution of form must firstly follow function!

Society must become more aware of holistic ways of living and must become more self governing, using appropriately skilled design and engineering professionals to guide them. Engineers can help to solve problems but please do not let the politicians make the problems too big to solve for the benefit of all humanity.

The population of the UK can vote in the referendum on whether EU membership is sensible or not. However, alternatives to residency of Planet Earth are not available.

mark lovell design engineers

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Structural and Civil Design Engineering Consultants based in Devizes, Wiltshire