Flash floods show need for preventative investment
The extreme flash floods in Edinburgh show that more investment is needed in climate adaptation measures to deal with rising temperatures, the Scottish Greens have said.
Streets turned to rivers on Sunday, putting pressure on fire crews and resulting in an expensive clean-up operation.
Scottish Greens environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell said: “The capital is just the latest flashpoint where the climate crisis is having an impact on Scotland’s infrastructure as extreme weather events become more and more common.
“We’ve seen dangerous landslips disrupt rail and road infrastructure, canals have burst their banks and we have seen flooded streets like those seen in Edinburgh at the weekend in the South of Scotland too.
“The events are a reminder that we need to deal with both sides of the climate crisis, by going further and faster to cut emissions while stepping up adaptation plans. Using natural solutions such as tree planting and flood plains can absorb the high rainfall peaks protecting towns and villages downstream, but there is a lack of co-ordination and specific funding to deliver these approaches at scale.”