Flooding warning (climate change)

Those who have been concerned about flooding in the village due to the Taylor Wimpey development may be interested by comments made this Tuesday by Environment Agency Chief Executive, Sir James Bevan.  Mr Bevan warned that “much more extreme weather will kill more people through drought, flooding, wildfires and heatwaves than most wars have.” https://www.gov.uk/government/news/climate-emergency-impacts-hitting-worst-case-scenario-levels. 

Visit https://youtu.be/cvCM_AtDi7Ato see our video explaining why Greener Henley is supporting the cross-party Climate and Ecological (CEE) Bill and www.change.org/petitionJohnHowellMP-CEEBill to sign our petition.  

Posted by: Kate Oldridge | 25/02/2021 3:26 pm

The debate isn't over. Kate Oldridge just issues statements of belief and reference to authority figures and organisations supporting her beliefs. If she knew anything of the scientific method, she would know that "science is never settled". Real data is what counts, not computer model output. There is no point in trying to persuade someone, with a strong unshakable belief system, with logic. The only reason for my responses at all is the hope that others will not be taken in by misinformation.

Posted by: Mick & Ann-Marie Reid | 07/03/2021 11:39 am

The GWPF is a well-respected science-based and staffed organisation. Its director is researcher Dr Benny Peiser. You picked one of my 4 references, where presumably the message vehicle can be smeared instead of the message. The paper was not even written by Dr Peiser. if I thought statements by authority figures were important, I would rate Dr Peiser any day over diplomat Bevan. I'm sure the Insurance Industry he addressed cannot wait for the premiums to pour in for disasters that won't happen.

Posted by: Mick & Ann-Marie Reid | 07/03/2021 11:39 am

We must move on from whether climate change is real - this is now beyond debate - to a conversation about how we adapt our communities to be resilient against the worst effects of climate change, as we transition to a zero carbon economy. This will be challenging but will also open up many opportunities for our communities. Please see Greener Henley's video about why we are supporting the CEE Bill and how this will affect our local communities including Shiplake. https://youtu.be/cvCM_AtDi7A.

Posted by: Kate Oldridge | 06/03/2021 10:55 am

Thanks to M Reid for his comment. But readers should be cautious about misinformation: one of the sources that Mick quoted is Global Warming Policy Foundation founded by Benny Peiser, a social anthropologist. It is wellreputed for climate change denial and has secret funding. Mick is incorrect to question that climate change results in flooding. There are new stories from reputable sources on a daily basis on this - see National Trust warning yesterday https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56284831

Posted by: Kate Oldridge | 06/03/2021 10:49 am

There has always been "climate change", but there is absolutely no scientific empirical evidence that manmade Co2 results in flooding in Oxfordshire, or indeed anywhere else, let alone scientifically established.

https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/21/1631/2017/hess-21-1631-2017.pdf

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/19/leaving-eu-chance-rethink-disastrous-flooding-policy/

https://www.thegwpf.com/uk-flooding-and-rainfall

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022169417

Posted by: Mick & Ann-Marie Reid | 03/03/2021 11:04 am

More important is Sir Bevan’s statement in August announcing the weakening of England river quality and maintenance standards. See https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/19/environment-agency-chief-backs-plan-to-water-down-river-cleanliness-rules-james-bevan. This is bad news.

Posted by: Barbara Woodward | 03/03/2021 11:01 am

Link between climate change and flooding is well-established by science. Readers may be interested in an email I received today from Professor Jim Hall FREng, Professor of Climate & Environmental Risks, University of Oxford. We are planning a talk from him about flooding in Oxfordshire. Prof Hall stated: "flooding can be exacerbated by a variety of factors, including modifications to the land surface and drainage in the catchment, as well as the impacts of climate change"(quoted with consent).

Posted by: Kate Oldridge | 02/03/2021 3:11 pm

What on earth have the unsubstantiated pronouncements on climate from J Bevan got to do with the regular flooding of the Thames in Shiplake and the Thames Farm problem. Just another authority figure’s pronouncement from a career diplomat trained in Social Anthropology. Climate change is a convenient excuse to get away with accusations that the EA is failing to manage river flow properly. Allied to this, as we know in Shiplake, are planning and land use policy and failure to manage water demand.

Posted by: Mick & Ann-Marie Reid | 01/03/2021 10:45 am