This flood was not only foretold – it was publicly subsidised | George Monbiot
by George Monbiot from on (#Z2X9)
The government pays grouse moor owners to drain their glorified outdoor chicken runs. Meanwhile it's the proles downstream who get a soaking
These floods were not just predictable; they were predicted. There were clear and specific warnings that the management of land upstream of the towns now featuring in the news would lead to disaster. On 9 December one of my readers told me this. "I live in the middle of Foss drainage board land above York, where flooding would not harm a single property but water is sent down as fast as possible to York." A few days later another reader wrote to me, warning that "upstream flood banks now protect crops, not the city of York". On 26 December the Foss exploded into York.
Related: Storm Frank: Environment Agency chief returns from Caribbean as storm looms - live coverage
Continue reading...