Archived press release

Flood alert - it's climate change

2 January 2003

With much of the country affected by flood alerts and more rain and snow on the way, Friends of the Earth today warned that Britain should expect more of the same as a result of man-made climate change.

Winter floods, like those affecting the UK, are exactly the sort of natural disaster that scientists say will become increasingly common due to climate changes resulting from man-made pollution.

And while our poor record on pollution means that climate change cannot be stopped, cutting carbon dioxide emissions will help to lessen the effects and so reduce the impacts on our weather patterns.

The UK Government's Climate Impacts Programme says [2]:

• winters throughout the UK have become much wetter relative to summers over the last 200 years;
• more winter precipitation now falls on heavy rainfall days than was the case 50 years ago.

Government forecasts suggest winter flooding will also become more common [2]:

• Winters will become wetter throughout the UK and heavy winter precipitation will become more frequent;
• If levels of manmade pollution increase, the amount of change will increase, with winter precipitation in the south and east increasing by up to 30 per cent by the 2080s. Heavy winter precipitation, such as is currently experienced around once every two years, may become up to 20 per cent heavier if pollution levels rise.

Roger Higman, Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:
"Floods like we're seeing across Britain this week are exactly the sort of natural disaster that scientists say are getting more common as a result of man-made climate change. We are all likely to pay the cost.

"We cannot now stop the climate changing. The damage has been done. But we can limit its effects. As we make our new year's resolutions, we should all think how we can cut our use of fossil fuels as they are the main cause of climate change. And we can do that by flying less often, taking public transport or walking instead of using the car, and by saving energy in the home and at work."

Notes

[1] The climate of a region is the 'average' of its weather (over 20-30 years). Scientists say that man-made emissions from the burning of coal, oil and gas are causing this our climate to change. This means that, although a given freak weather event, such as the recent rains, cannot be said to be caused by man-made pollution, we can say that events like the recent rains are getting commoner because of man-made pollution.

[2] (see: www.ukcip.org.uk/default.asp)

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust