In a 2,000-page report, the Climate Change Committee says flooding will destroy bridges – wrecking electricity, gas and IT connections carried on them.
The chairman of the committee’s adaptation sub-committee, Prof Sir John Krebs, told BBC News: “Infrastructure could be affected in a way that interacts.
“So, if you take electricity supply, the delivery of fuel to power stations would be affected by flooding which would then affect electricity.
“Then look at flooding… if bridges are affected then they carry electricity cables and communications infrastructure, so we have to look not just at how each piece of infrastructure works but how they interact together.
“There could be a cascade of risks.”
Dr Sari Kovats, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “We are far from prepared to deal with these changes.
“More heatwaves in the UK are also likely, yet there are no comprehensive policies in place aimed at reducing the risk of overheating in new and existing homes.”
Among the other risks needing more action the committee mentions:
• Coastal change risks to communities, businesses and Power infrastructure which will in turn increase risks to Power Generation etc……
Climate change could have a domino effect on key infrastructure in the UK, government advisers have warned.
For more information visit the News Article on http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36765925
Thumbnail photo courtesy of: Tillicoultry Flood (John Chroston) / CC BY-SA 2.0
