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Ministers pledge £15 million for natural flood measures, following Friends of the Earth campaign

news release

News today that the government will provide an extra £15 million to utilise nature and manage land to reduce floods has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth. Today’s announcement by Andrea Leadsom follows a campaign by Friends of the Earth and Rewilding Britain.

Earlier this week, Friends of the Earth highlighted that the government had failed to deliver on repeated pledges to fund natural flood management (NFM), like planting trees to reduce flood risk.

Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said:

“This is fantastic news – communities, scientists and campaigners have said for years that we must work more closely with nature to reduce flooding.

“This additional money for natural flood measures will help defend flood-risk communities, repairing damaged landscapes and slowing the flow of water downstream.

“It is of course only just the start – the prospect of dangerous climate change demands we urgently slash the carbon emissions driving up flooding, as well as radically rethinking our relationship to the land.

“Next, the government must drastically reform farm subsidies – ending hand-outs to landowners who keep our uplands bare of trees, and instead pay farmers to provide public goods, like reducing flooding.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Andrea Leadsom announced the spending in the House of Commons this morning – Parliament TV   (see 9:37).

2. Ministers failing to fund natural flood measures, Friends of the Earth FOI request reveals | Press release

3. UK government not funding natural flood prevention methods | Guardian.

4. How rewilding reduces flood risk | Rewilding Britain.

For press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trus

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