Floods and Climate Change in the UK

Flood Management in the UK

In this course, Dr Servel Miller (University of Chester) explores flood risk management in the UK. In the first module, we look at current patterns of flood risk in the UK, and how climate change is increasing the likelihood of flooding. The second module then surveys the main types of flooding, focusing on the three varieties which particularly affect the UK – coastal, river, and surface water. In the third module, we think about how flood risk is defined, emphasising the conceptualisation of flood risk as the interaction between three elements – exposure, vulnerability, and the hazard itself. The fourth module then outlines the UK’s major flood management strategies, as they fit into the categories of hard engineering, river management, and soft engineering. We expand on soft engineering in the fifth module by looking at nature-based solutions and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS).

Floods and Climate Change in the UK

In this module, we think about current patterns of flood risk in the UK, and how they are being altered by climate change. We focus on: (i) the number and distribution of homes at risk of flooding in the UK today; (ii) the impacts of climate change – higher atmospheric temperatures lead to more frequent heavy rainfall events and larger offshore storms, both of which increase flood risk; (iii) the role of human factors, such as rates of urbanisation and land use change; (iv) negative impacts associated with flooding, including personal injury and property damage.