— London, Uk
— From: Claudia Williams
Can Britain handle its rain? Not on present evidence. Much of the country is under water, which might be forgivable if the floods were a hundred-year event, but they’re not. These are only the worst since 2007 and every climatic trend suggests they’re going to get more frequent, not less. The Johnson government will have to get serious about land use, flood defences and flood insurance regulation if it wants to avoid a soggy rebellion in the shires.
The Environment Agency claims existing flood defences have protected around 20,000 houses so far. £4bn in funding commitments for more defences over the next five years remain in place. But part of the problem seems to be the speed with which these schemes are being carried out, or the lack of it. In West Yorkshire’s Calder Valley, unfinished £30m flood alleviation works, ongoing since May 2018, left a hole several metres wide in a main flood wall as the River Calder rose higher than ever.
“There is a resilience in communities now because they are so used to it,” said Steve Morgan, a Tortoise member based in Hebden Bridge, one of three local towns that flooded. But it’s combined with an “element of resignation, as well as frustration and anger.” Local Tory MP Craig Whittaker has deemed the government’s response inadequate; unlike in November, just before the election, there have been no COBRA meetings or ministerial visits to the areas affected.
There are still more than 150 flood warnings in place including six severe “danger to life” warnings. Perhaps, as Andrew Vine suggests in the Yorkshire Post, it’s time for another comprehensive review of the country’s long-term preparedness for flooding. Thanks to global warming the world’s average sea surface temperature has risen by 0.6C since 1970, causing the atmosphere’s water content to rise by up to 4 per cent. Sea levels have risen by an average of nearly 3 inches since 1992. These floods aren’t going away.
Today in the app Ella Hill and Chris Cook continue their investigation into justice on campus with analysis of sexual abuse and harassment policies at the UK’s 60 biggest universities. Plus: Dr Charlotte Lydia Riley on why harassment at universities is so widespread.
Belonging Identity, Society, Beliefs, Countries
Brits get political
There was one standout moment at the Brit Awards: 21-year old rapper Dave’s performance of Black, his single about blackness and the diversity of black experience from his Mercury Prize-winning album Psychodrama. The song’s political stance has prompted a visceral – and revealingly negative – response when played on the radio. That’s not held Dave back. During an ad-lib in last night’s performance he criticised the treatment of Meghan Markle compared to Kate Middleton; he paid tribute to Jack Merritt – whom he knew personally – and Saskia Jones, who both died in last month’s London Bridge terror attack; he called for justice for the Windrush generation and demanded accommodation for Grenfell victims. And of Boris Johnson? “The truth is our prime minister is a real racist”. Moments later he won the album of the year. You can watch his performance here. As Pete Paphides notes, repeat viewings, when you know what’s coming, only get more powerful.
Our planet Environment, Natural resources, Geopolitics
Billionaires to the rescue
Forget the £42m clock or the space colonies, Jeff Bezos has a new project: he wants to “save Earth”. The world’s richest man has pledged $10bn, about 8 per cent of his personal wealth, to halt climate change. A source told the FT that the Bezos Earth Fund would focus on donations to NGOs, scientists and activists rather than corporate investments but most important details have yet to be revealed – including how transparent it will be.
Publicly recognising the serious threat posed by climate change is important. But Bezos is a divisive figure. Is there a risk that he’ll just deepen polarisation around a shared problem?
It’s worth remembering that in 2018 Amazon’s corporate carbon footprint was 44.4m metric tons CO2 equivalent – about the same as Norway’s. Only 12 per cent of the firm’s main data centres are powered by renewable energy and last year it sponsored a gala held by a climate change deniers. Earlier this year employees claimed that Amazon threatened to fire climate activists. One hates to sound churlish, but Announcing that Amazon was going to pay its taxes might have had more impact.
Wealth Investment, Fairness, Prosperity
Morally bankrupt
Days after its 110th anniversary, Boy Scouts of America has filed for bankruptcy protection while facing hundreds of child sex abuse lawsuits. The scale of the abuse is horrific: last year it was revealed that the BSA kept “perversion files” on around 7,800 of its former leaders suspected of abusing more than 12,000 children over 72 years. There are so many lawsuits that insurance companies are refusing to pay out, arguing that the BSA is liable for abuse it could have prevented. The organisation claims the bankruptcy filing will allow it to build a compensation fund for victims – as USA Gymnastics and some Catholic dioceses have in light of abuse lawsuits. The filing means that all civil lawsuits against the BSA are on hold, and victims will have to file claims in bankruptcy court. There will likely be a time limit for bringing new cases. And many victims wanted justice — not money. One lawyer said: “They’re going into bankruptcy to hide… a Mount Everest in dirty secrets.”
The 100-year life Health, Education, Living, Public policy
Over-exposure
A case in Australia has highlighted a side to sexual abuse lawsuits that isn’t often dicussed: the damage they do to the people investigating and prosecuting these crimes. A former prosecutor in Australia who accused the Office of Public Prosecutions in Victoria of failing to protect her from the risks of repeat exposure to graphic material has this week been awarded $435,000. Zagi Kozarov, a solicitor, experienced vicarious trauma while working with the sexual offences unit between 2009 and 2012. It’s an issue which goes beyond the justice system, and is increasingly found among content moderators working for tech companies ($). Just last month it was reported that moderators working for Facebook and YouTube were required to sign disclosure forms acknowledging the risk of PTSD. But awareness of a problem does not protect against the risks. Facebook is already facing lawsuits on this matter. We might see more in the future.
New things Technology, Science, Engineering
Silenced
Police in Indian-administered Kashmir have opened a case against hundreds of people using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access blacklisted social media sites. The case has been filed under anti-terror laws for propagating “secessionist ideology and promoting unlawful activities” and anyone found guilty could be jailed for up to seven years. Since India revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status last August it has imposed a blanket internet ban on the Muslim-majority state, supposedly in order to maintain calm. It’s thought to have cost Kashmir around $25bn in economic output. Last month that ban was partially lifted, although the internet is only available at 2G speed – according to one analysis just 126 of 301 “acceptable” sites are actually usable. The communications blackout and the police case have been deemed a violation of digital rights. The Indian government needs to “let the people of Kashmir speak”, said Avinash Kumar, executive director of Amnesty International India.
And finally… What’s worse than finding a bag of snakes on your doorstep? Finding two bags of snakes. In the space of a week 29 pythons and corn snakes have been found in Buzz Lightyear-themed pillowcases outside the same fire station in Sunderland in northeast England. No one knows who left them there.
Claudia Williams
@claudiabromley
