Projections of future flood risk in the UK

Description

The assessment of future flood risk presented in this report considers three climate change scenarios (a 2°C and 4°C change in Global Mean Temperature by the 2080s and a H++ scenario), and three population growth projections (low, high and no growth). For the first time the analysis presented covers the whole of the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) and the risks associated with coastal, fluvial, surface water and groundwater flooding. Eight individual Adaptation Measures (including, for example, spatial planning, flood defences, catchment storage) are used to construct five Adaptation Scenarios (including enhanced and reduced levels of adaptation ambition in comparison to present day). Future flood risks for a range of climate, population and adaptation combinations are assessed using the UK Future Flood Explorer, and the results are presented.

The report supported the preparation of the second Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) issued in 2017 and is to be updated every five years according to the 2008 UK Climate Change Act.

Reference information