The London Surface Water Strategy – Increasing Resilience Through Collective Action
Online event
About this Event
Please join us for a webinar during London Climate Action Week, providing insight into the London Surface Water Strategy following publication on 14 May 2025.
The London Surface Water Flooding Strategy Vision is of a London that has increased resilience to surface water flooding through collective action that benefits people, places and the environment.
In July 2021, two extreme rainfall events hit the capital, leading to flooding across 24 boroughs, and over 2,000 properties damaged. Reviews after the events included the universal recommendation for the development of a London Surface Water Strategy. A key assumption during the development has been that the current system failed in 2021 and is highly likely to fail again with increasingly extreme and frequent weather events. Therefore, the Strategy must have an aspect of transformation included within its recommendations.
The Flood Ready London partnership, formed of Environment Agency, London Councils, London Fire Brigade, Mayor of London, Thames Water and Transport for London with support from Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, developed the Strategy through a series of consultations with London Boroughs, environment and development managers, community groups, the public and many others associated with surface water management.
The Strategy sets out the Flood Ready London collective approach to delivering this Vision by aligning our efforts and bringing together stakeholders around common goals. Following the 2021 flooding, we agreed that our focus must be on increasing resilience and adaptation, reducing flood risk to minimise its impact when it does occur, and making recovery quicker and easier. The Strategy will mobilise the step change our city needs to become more prepared, sustainable, and safe, especially for the most vulnerable. It defines how we can work together across London to plan and deliver solutions that reduce surface water flood risk, while empowering positive action by, and creating benefits for, everyone who lives in, works in, and visits our city.
Flood Ready London
Flood Ready London is a partnership between the Environment Agency, London Councils, London Fire Brigade, the Mayor of London, Thames Water and Transport for London, and is supported by the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.
The vision of Flood Ready London is simple: Increase London’s resilience to surface water flooding through collective action that benefits people, places and the environment.
The London Surface Water Strategy sets out our collective approach to delivering this vision by aligning our efforts and bringing together stakeholders around common goals. Following the 2021 flooding in London, we agreed that our focus must be on increasing climate resilience and adaptation, reducing flood risk to minimise its impact when it does occur, and making recovery quicker and easier.
As part of Flood Ready London, our Strategy will mobilise the step change our city needs to become more prepared, sustainable, and safe, especially for the most vulnerable. It defines how we can work together across London to plan and deliver solutions that reduce surface water flood risk, while empowering positive action by, and creating benefits for, everyone who lives in, works in, and visits our city.
You can read the London Surface Water Strategy here: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/climate-change/climate-adaptation/surface-water-flooding/london-surface-water-strategy?ac-240385=240384
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