Adapting to Climate Change is not enough

3.16.52pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 9th Nov 2005

5,000,000 people are living in homes at risk from floods

Commenting on the publication of DEFRA's consultation document on adapting to climate change, Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Norman Baker MP said:

"Of course we need to take measures to adapt to climate change. Most obviously, with 5,000,000 people living in homes at risk from floods, we already know that the cost of increased flood damage could grow £30,000,000 a year for the next eight years. So, we are already paying the penalty for not having taken the environment seriously."

"But it is vital that we tackle the causes of climate change, not merely the symptoms. Prevention is always better than cure. Doing nothing is simply no longer an option. A failure to set the proper targets for substantial reductions in emissions will lead to an increasing deterioration in our quality of life and our standard of living. We need enforceable, mandatory targets for every country."

The Foresight Future Flooding Report concluded that he current annual cost of flooding could increase by £30m per year for eighty years - DTI, 22nd April 2004. Five million people live in homes at risk from flood damage - Environment Agency, 11th October 2005.