The risks to Kent

A number of factors combine to make Kent particularly exposed to the impacts of climate change:

• A long coastline exposed to erosion, rising sea levels, storm surge and wave damage
• North, East and South facing coasts exposed to increased storminess from most points of the compass
• A relatively high proportion of low-lying land at risk of flooding
• A relatively high proportion of the population living in areas susceptible to coastal or river flooding
• High traffic volumes, both in and through the county, as a result of our international gateway status. This means that emissions and air quality problems may be made worse by climate change (e.g. many of the heat-related illnesses of 2003 were linked to air quality episodes triggering respiratory problems)
• A relatively developed landscape which increases flood risk, as developed land does not perform its natural function of slowly soaking up water
• Heavy reliance on groundwater sources for public water supply (about 75% of our water comes from this source, making us vulnerable to drought and salt water intrusion in coastal aquifers)
• Projections of further housing and commercial development (approximately 120,000 new homes planned over the next 20 years) which may make some of the problems identified above even worse
• Proximity to continental Europe which may increase the risks of new, invasive species or diseases arriving in the UK via Kent in the first instance.

But, more positively Kent enjoys:

• The potential for development of economic sectors such as tourism and agriculture (with the warning that beneficial change such as a warmer climate may reach the point of becoming uncomfortable or unsustainable due to, for example, water scarcity)
• The potential to capture the increased energy reaching the county, and particularly the coast, as a result of climate change as renewable energy from solar, wind, wave, and tidal power
• Proximity to continental Europe which may result in the arrival of new and welcome additions to our native flora and fauna as their 'climate space' moves northwards.