A recent study published in Nature has revealed the results of a global research project that examines the risk of urban flooding, led by the World Bank and funded by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), has shown how urbanisation trends since 1985 have caused an increase in flood exposure.
The study presents data that compares the growth of settlements in flood-prone areas with those in safe zones between 1985 and 2015. While focused on low- to middle-income countries, the study is global in scope. Results for the UK indicate that, despite having flood-related planning and development policies in place, settlements in flood-prone areas have grown 10-50% more than those in safe zones. This indicates a greater need for risk-informed development in urban planning policies to mitigate flood exposure.
Read the full story from the World Bank Blog