Britain is more culturally diverse than ever before. 8 million people, 14% of the population of England and Wales, belong to an ethnic minority group, up from 9% in 2001. London is home to 270 nationalities speaking 300 languages. Should we be doing more to support integration and avoid segregation and isolation? A new infographic, commissioned by the RGS-IBG as part
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An infographic commissioned to accompany the 21st Century Challenges discussion series illustrates the challenge of tackling flood risk in the UK. The infographic was displayed at a 21st Century Challenges public discussion on ‘Flooding: National Problem, Local Solutions‘ at the Rheged Centre on Saturday 11th March. Infographic by Greg Stevenson.
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A new guide produced by the Know Your Flood Risk campaign and co-authored by one of the speakers at the RGS-IBG’s forthcoming Policy Forum on flood risk management, encourages home owners to do more to protect themselves and their properties from flooding. The ‘Homeowners Guide to Flood Resilience‘ aims to ’empower people to be aware, prepare and take practical precautions
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The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Parliamentary Select Committee has today (2 November) released a report into flood risk management in the UK that the committee’s chair, Neil Parish MP, describes as ‘radical’ in its proposals. Setting out their view that the current systems of flood risk management (FRM) in this country are unfit for purpose, the Committee call for
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A low-carbon economy – with a target of an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide levels, on 1990 levels, by 2050 – is a long-standing objective of UK energy policy. But what will a low-carbon economy look like and what will it be like to live there? A paper in Energy Policy by Gavin Bridge and colleagues (‘Geographies of energy transition:
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There is growing recognition amongst policy-makers and land managers that poor land stewardship can exacerbate the risks of floods and droughts, with the need to ‘work with natural processes’ in order to both increase resilience to climate change and deliver positive conservation outcomes. Such ‘win-wins’ resulting from the integrated management of land and water are the focus of a joint statement from the Society
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Are we likely to meet our targets to increase the use of renewables to 15% of our total energy use by 2020, or to decarbonise our economy by 2050? In 2040, will we as citizens and will our elected Governments prioritise reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, or material wealth for consumers, with little regard for the environment? It is of
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Achieving sustainable flood-risk management in the UK Tuesday 8 November 2016 Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR How can the UK move towards a comprehensive strategy for sustainable flood-risk management for the next 25 years, effectively tackling one of the greatest 21st Century challenges for our society, environment and economy? Expert panellists, drawing on significant insights
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Earlier this month the Government published the results of the first stage of its review examining how the UK can be better protected from future flooding and extreme weather events. The ‘National Flood Resilience Review’ (NFRR) began in January, initially chaired by Oliver Letwin MP in his then position as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Led from the Cabinet
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Rescaling the UK’s energy system Tuesday 29 November Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR This event is delivered in partnership with the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) The UK Government’s overriding priorities with regards to energy policy are to deliver secure, reliable, clean, affordable energy. Delivering on these priorities presents policy-makers in Government with a ‘trilemma’: how
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21st Century Challenges 