Westminster Sustainable Business Forum

The Agriculture Bill, currently making its way through Parliament will see transition from the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) to a new system of 'public money for public goods'.  Under these arrangements, the existing Basic Payment Scheme will be replaced with a system that rewards farmers and land managers for actions that benefit the environment such as tree planting, flood management, and habitat restoration.

The housing crisis is an issue that is likely to remain high on the agenda throughout this Parliament and new development will exacerbate risks associated with flooding.  The number of properties at risk of flooding will increase to 2.5 million by 2050 as a result of increased development, climate change trends (such as more intense rainfall events and sea level rise), and the conversion of green space to hard surfacing.  The cost to the taxpayer of dealing with flood damage is already over £1bn every year, not accounting for indirect impacts (such as mental health issues) that ca