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Under consideration PE2118: Review and restructure Scotland’s flood risk management approach and operations

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to review the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, and improve flood alleviation and management processes by appointing an independent panel of engineers, economists, and geomorphologists to support the design of flood risk management plans.

Background information

Climate change is real. Rainfall is rising. Flooding causes loss of homes, income, utilities and infrastructure. There is also irreparable damage to the environment, hidden costs to public services and infrastructure. People are affected by stress, health related issues.

The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act, 2009 and all manuals, guidelines, theories and structures associated with it are archaic and no longer relevant against current and predicted flood threats.

The system of flood risk management and flood alleviation is to approach flooding as a theoretical rather than a live and current threat. Those designing the systems appear distant and unaffected. The system is designed around flood warnings, not flood prevention, management, or alleviation. Communities are excluded from discussions and plans for flood schemes. A complaint is that bureaucrats obfuscate when submitting reports.

Our view is the current system needs a total review and revamp including inclusion of communities.

  • Created by Tobias Christie on behalf of Speymouth Environmental Partnership
  • Considered from 24 September 2024
  • Petitions can collect signatures until the petition has been closed

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