Tackling flooding with small changes
Plus eco news from across the region
Good morning! I’m Sarah Hartley and this is The Northern Eco weekly update. As you’ve received this newsletter then either you subscribed, or someone forwarded it to you. If the latter, then you can click on this handy little button below.
With massive snow melt impacting large parts of the region this week, we’re taking a look at whether individual actions can help address flooding issues. Plus - what the environment secretary told farmers last week, why the RSPB want to hear your reports of moor fires and the chance for any young artists in your life to raise awareness for wildlife conservation.
Pictures of devastating floods have become all too familiar over the past few weeks. People’s lives and livelihoods being ruined as crops fail and residents are forced from their homes. But what can we, as individuals, do about it? Aside from putting pressure on governments and other authorities to build defensive infrastructure, can we all play a part to reduce flooding incidents?
It’s already well established that the climate crisis is leading to wetter weather as well as a greater number of what are categorised as extreme weather incidents.
This is because, as the planet heats, a warmer atmosphere can hold more water vapour - an atmosphere with more water vapour makes more rain. And we know that heating has reached an all time high.
Just last week, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) confirmed that last year was the first to exceed the key 1.5C global warming limit, scientific officials said the world needs to be better prepared for worsening climate impacts.
C3S director Carlo Buontempo told journalists that “our traditional system to cope with and respond to extreme climate events is being tested to the limits. This is why adaptation is no longer an option - but a necessity.”
In the UK, the latest State of the UK Climate report from the Met Office indicates the UK has become wetter over the last few decades, although with significant annual variation. 2011-2020 was 9% wetter than 1961-1990.
The report says: “From the start of the observational record in 1862, six of the ten wettest years across the UK have occurred since 1998.”
Shorty before Christmas, the Environment Agency published its first update on flood risk in over six years. Using new data and modelling approaches, the 44 page report sets out the new national assessment of flood risk which includes the potential impact of climate change.
The report says around 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from one or a combination of sources: rivers, the sea and surface water.
But there are also mitigations that can be made - in its projections for the UK, the Met Office says: “However, an increase in severe flooding is not necessarily a certainty by the end of the century. By significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using a combination of natural and man-made barriers, the worst effects of flooding in the future can be lessened.”
Flooding can seem to be one of those topics too big to be tackled on an individual basis. Authorities responsible for infrastructure, governments responsible for climate policies and regulators for enforcement all play vital roles in tackling the issue - but could the smaller actions of the many help turn the tide?
What can I do locally?
In looking for local mitigation ideas, I started with the tree planting and conservation experts at Make It Wild in North Yorkshire. Co-founder Christopher Neave said there were “definitely steps that people can take to help prevent flooding. There are also things that should avoided.”
“Planting trees in gardens is an important contributor to reducing the problem of excess water build up. On larger pieces of land afforestation should be encouraged and our recommendation would be that these be native, broad-leaved species of tree, as this best benefits our local flora and fauna. We describe these vital habitats as wild woodlands.
“Run-off from farmland has increased because of decades of rural tree felling, hedgerow removal and the filling in of field ponds. This trend needs reversing, as it has also contributed massively to biodiversity loss. Adding lakes and ponds will not only provide the habitat for many aquatic-dependent species, they also hold and retain large quantities of water during periods of heavy rainfall.”
But it’s not just the large expanses of land that make a difference - even the smallest yard or front garden can become a flood solution. Christopher pointed to those small patches of bare ground around street trees - simply removing the asphalt from those is an easy way to improve water infiltration in urban areas.
“Paving over of front and rear gardens has been shown to be a major factor in surface water movement in towns and cities. Given the increasing frequency of flooding events, the government should consider making planning permission a requirement for removing any domestic green space, with a presumption that it should be declined, without very strong justification for proceeding.”
Keeping it real
Another flooding risk for homeowners is the growing prevalence of artificial plastic grass instead of living turf.
A survey by insurer Aviva, of 2,004 UK homeowners, also found that over a quarter (27%) have already changed or plan to replace part or all of their garden into a driveway with non-permeable material, such as tarmac. A further 21% would consider making the change.
Worryingly, the research shows a slight increase in these changes, compared to the previous year when 18% had already, or planned to, switch to artificial grass and a quarter (25%) had changed their garden into a non-permeable driveway. Despite this, a related survey found that nearly half of UK residents (45%) believe their home is at risk from flooding.
Jason Storah, CEO UK & Ireland General Insurance at Aviva, said: “Whilst it can be tempting to replace a garden with low maintenance driveways or artificial grass, these changes can make it more difficult for water to be absorbed. At times of heavy rain in urban areas, drains can rapidly become overwhelmed if the water cannot be absorbed, causing flooding outside and in the home.
“As our climate changes, periods of extreme weather are likely to increase, including heavy downpours and higher temperatures. Our flood mapping technology shows that surface water flooding is on the increase and it can be harder to predict, so it’s important to be prepared.”
What the officials say
The Environment Agency, the authority responsible for flood prevention and planning offers the following nature-based solutions to reduce flooding in your area as well as information on who to contact for advice, and if you can get funding:
plant trees and hedges to increase water absorption, catch rainfall and slow down surface water run-off
improve soil cover with plants to reduce water pollution and run- off
divert high water flows and create areas to store water
create leaky barriers to slow water flow in streams and ditches restore salt marshes, mudflats and peat bogs
💦 If you’re interested in finding out more about this topic, the Friends of the Dales is holding an Online Talk: A Nature-based Approach to Flood Management on Wednesday, January 22 from 5:00pm. Amanda Crossfield from Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust will host the event, sharing insights into its ongoing work with farmers and landowners within the Swale, Ure, Nidd, and Ouse river catchments. The event will conclude with an online Q&A session. The talk is free and can be booked at www.friendsofthedales.org.uk/events.
💦 Further reading: National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024.
If you have a hack to help prevent flooding, please do share it. We’d love to hear from you in the comments.
The three most clicked links from last week were:
In the news
⚡️ A green energy company has pledged to hand out up to £40m to community projects if a controversial battery energy storage system (BESS) is approved in the North Yorkshire countryside. Full report here.
⚡️ Darlington Council says its energy bills have been cut by almost £5m and that it is on track to becoming carbon neutral by 2040 reports Bill Edgar at The Northern Echo.
💨 Community projects in South Tyneside, East Riding of Yorkshire, and Redcar and Cleveland are being invited to apply for grants from the Dogger Bank operator fund to support their activities, Graeme Anderson at Climate Post has more.
✍️ Rare, centuries old, slate shard fences are once more features of the farming landscape thanks to grants totalling £116,707 from Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL) fund via the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA). Update from the Lake District National Park.
🌏 Richmondshire Climate Action Partnership (RiCAP) is looking for volunteers who would like to “Take Action” on 3 main projects in 2025:
Improving local Active Travel in Richmondshire – buses, train links, cycling and walking.
Encourage people to take an interest in the environment and explain the factors affecting it.
Help people to lower their carbon footprint by providing ideas and expert speakers.
If you are interested in any of the above subjects and would like to help organise events associated with them, contact Barbara Gravenor at admin@richmondshireclimateaction.org.
💨 A renewable energy developer has unveiled ambitions to invest up to £1bn in clean energy projects across the UK as it sets its sights on creating more high skilled jobs for the North East, writes Kayleigh Fraser at The Northern Echo.
🪶 The RSPB is urging people to report sightings of burning on peatland such as grouse moors. Reporting a burn is quick, easy and anonymous and you can do so by visiting reporting page on the RSPB website or by downloading the My Survey123 app (available on iOS and Android).
🚜 “We’re experiencing more frequent and severe flooding and droughts as the climate changes, affecting yields and, vitally, your profits.” Environment secretary Steve Reed told farmers at the recent Oxford Real Farming Conference. You can read his entire speech here.
🌳 The head of natural environment for the 3,600-hectare Castle Howard estate in North Yorkshire, Guy Thallon, was one of the landowners also participating in the Oxford Real Farming Conference debate, advocating for greater public access. He said the estate had opened up new permissive footpaths to better connect existing public rights of way writes at Patrick Barkham at The Guardian.
✍️ A private member’s bill, 'New Homes (Solar Generation) Bill will have its second reading in parliament on Friday 17th January. If brought into law, it will make solar panels mandatory on new homes. The council for Protection of Rural England (CPRE) would like people to contact their MP and ask them to attend parliament for this event as at least 100 MPs are required to be present. Follow this link to find and message your MP: https://www.cpreney.org.uk
💦 Tom Burgess at The Northern Echo writes about a new report from The Wildlife Trusts which identifies continued decline in water vole populations in the North East but says that it is balanced against heartening increases in areas where conservation efforts have been focused.
🌏 Eliot Jessett at the Liverpool Echo brings sad news about Merseyside's 'post-industrial legacy' which has significantly depleted the region's plant and animal life and resulted in the local extinction of 36 'priority species' of plants and animals.
⚓️ The Tees Rivers Trust aim to collect mussels in 2025 in order to restore the population and improve water quality, reports Tom Burgess at The Northern Echo.
🐭 If you have a young conservationist in your household, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has announced the 2025 World Wildlife Day (WWD) International Youth Art Contest. Contestants can enter with traditional art mediums (hand drawn using markers, crayons, coloured pencils and/or paint). The contest is open to youth artists aged 4-18 and the full information is here.
We’ll be at the Richmondshire Climate Action Partnership Repair Cafe and Eco Fair on Sunday 19th January from 9.45am to 12.30pm in Richmond School 6th Form Hall. We’ll be one of those providing information on ways to lower your carbon footprint, recycling and environmental issues - please do drop in and say ‘Hi!’.
Don’t forget to check our full listings for this month’s eco events here.
See you back here next Tuesday!
🌼 Thank you for reading edition number 117 of The Northern Eco. This newsletter remains independent, free unless you want to pay, ad-free and is proudly reader supported thanks to paying subscribers. The main newsletter is sent out at 7am every Tuesday and wouldn’t exist without paying subscribers. 🙏