A Place to Stand

Five million people in England and Wales are at risk of flooding
Cars floating down city streets and fire crews pumping water now seem a regular part of the UK landscape....

The Environment Agency says global warming means we face extreme floods more regularly in the future....

As many scientists link extreme weather to global warming, becoming more environmentally friendly will help, experts say.

Chris Williams, managing director of Hydro-International, which has been working on flood issues for 25 years, says making new buildings should be made eco-friendly......

"Making sure that homes are energy-efficient buildings and are made from energy-efficient materials will help reduce their carbon footprint," he said.

Peter Ewins, chief executive of the Met Office, said there was no doubt that global warming was a reality.

But he said ill-informed comments by European politicians were making it easier for President Bush to duck America's responsibilities to help tackle the problem.

"UK Government ministers are remarkably well-informed and measured in what they say," he said.

"My criticism is reserved for some people in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe who seem to suggest that one-off severe weather events are in themselves proof of global warming.

'The case is so strong'

"These statements do damage the case, which we think is so strong.

"It is easy for the Bush administration to rubbish the idea that a one-off severe event, like a flood or a drought, is caused by global warming, and therefore it makes it easier for them to refute the whole European stance."

// posted by neil craig @ 1:27 pm