Climate change will affect all of us.  Summers will get hotter and drier, winters milder and wetter.  Some weather extremes will become more common, others less common.  Sea levels will rise.

The summer floods in 2007, the drought of 2004-2006, and the heat wave in 2003 have shown how weather-related events can have a major impact on households, businesses, critical infrastructure (such as roads, railways, water treatment works or electricity generation) and vulnerable sections of society, particularly the poor and elderly.

The climate in the UK is projected to change significantly over the next century and some of the consequences of these changes will be:

Increased fluvial (rivers and streams) and coastal flooding as well as from urban drainage systems
More frequent and prolonged periods of water scarcity and drought
Rising sea levels
More frequent extreme events, such as heat waves, gales, storms, tidal surges and intense rainfall

Flooding has again made headlines recently, with rainfall during August around twice the monthly average, repeating the patterns we saw in 2006 and 2007.  More heavy rain is expected as experts predict one of the wettest Septembers on record.

Protecting your home from flooding

Make sure you know where your gas, electricity and water mains are in advance of a flood
Store all electrical items as high up as possible
Keep important personal documents in a sealed bag, in a location safe from floodwater

Your council should make sandbags available to as many residents as possible during emergency situations, to enable them to protect their homes from flooding.

What to do if a flood happens

Move pets, vehicles, valuables and other items to safety
Be ready to turn off gas and electricity (get help if needed); unplug electrical items
Alert your neighbours, particularly the elderly
Put sandbags orflood boards in place, but make sure your property is ventilated;
plug sinks/baths and put a sandbag in the toilet bowl to prevent backflow

Click here to download OPC flooding and climate change fact sheet
Click here to join the OPC online book club

Related links

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/WhereYouLive/FloodingInYourArea

http://www.thelondonflood.com/

http://www.benfieldhrc.org/climate_change