Experts call for urgent action on floods risk

CLIMATE change experts have called for an urgent review of preparedness for future flooding and extreme weather in Scotland.

A report claims that global warming is already affecting Scotland, with increases in average temperatures, sea level and annual rainfall all observed.

Average temperatures in Scotland are around 0.7c (1.3f) higher than they were a century ago, with annual rainfall 13 per cent higher than the average for the early decades of the 20th century, the report says.

It adds: ‘Widespread flooding in the winter of 2015/16 highlighted the vulnerability of Scotland’s communities, and essential infrastructure to extreme weather. Action is being taken to reduce the vulnerability of communities to flood risk and to improve infrastructure performance. However, there are limited data at a national scale to determine the extent to which progress is being made.’

The adaptation sub-committee of the UK Committee on Climate Change praised the Scottish Government’s climate change adaptation programme, published in 2014, as a ‘positive start’.

Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: ‘The committee recognises that ambitious plans are in place to protect Scotland’s natural environment.

‘We will continue to develop our approach and the next adaptation programme, due to be published in 2019, will be based on the best available evidence.’