Climate Change Part 8a (Global Scapegoat)

So last year's heat waves were down to Global Warming and this year's floods are down to Climate Change. It's funny how the terminology changes to suit the political agenda isn't it? I heard on the news this morning that 5% of our flood defences were already in poor repair previous to the recent flooding. The environment agency are quoting £1billion to improve defences but damage is estimated at £2billion. So from my limited accounting skills I can work out that instead of the floods costing £1billion (the cost of the repairs the government knew were needed but didn't carry out) they have now cost £3billion (the cost of repair to the flood defences plus the cost of the damage done).

We have not seen floods like this since 1947 and it may be another 60 years before we see their like again. The fact remains that the government knew there was a risk and they knew that 5% of the defences were in poor repair. What the government did was gamble, they chose to save £1billion now in the hope that this kind of disaster would not happen while they were in power. However they had a fall back plan if their gamble failed - good old Climate Change. The government's spin on the flooding is it's not their fault for not repairing the flood defences and it's not their fault for allowing the building of homes on flood plains - it's the fault of Climate Change. Is this the same Climate change that caused flooding at similar levels in 1947? or is it the same Climate Change that caused the country's greatest flood in 1770? - no I don't think so, do you?

There has always been a risk of flooding in this country and this government has failed to take the appropriate action. This is why we are having such a cold and wet summer, it's just one of those things that happen every so often and and you will note that there's no mention of Climate Change. To blame Climate Change on the recent floods is pure spin, it is a fact that if the repairs had been made to the flood defences and houses hadn't been built on flood plains, then most of this disaster could have and should have been avoided.

Gordon Brown said: "Obviously like every advanced industrial country we're coming to terms with some of the issues surrounding climate change. It's pretty clear that some of the 19th Century structures we're dealing with - infrastructure and where they were sited - that is something we're going to have to review." Then in almost the same breath he said: "This has been, if you like, a one in 150 years set of incidents that has taken place in both Yorkshire and Humberside and now in Gloucestershire and the Severn." So which is it Gordon? is it Climate Change? or is it a one in 150 year set of incidents? I believe it is the latter, but even if it is the former, that does not excuse the governments cynical lack of action.

If the government are so sure that this kind of flooding is inevitable because of Climate Change, why didn't they do something about it? The government were warned this was going to happen, they knew the defences were in poor repair - and they still did nothing but allow it to happen, blaming the global scapegoat, Climate Change.