Climate Change

We all know what climate change is.   

We all know why action to stem climate change matters.   

But how do we put our good intentions into practice and make the right decisions to heal our planet and live more sustainably?   

At the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November 2021, world leaders will be gathering to discuss the universal challenge of climate change.  Meanwhile, organisations of all kinds are already asking the difficult questions about what they can do to address climate change and help the government meet its net zero target by 2050.   

How can we develop renewable energy more quickly?  

The UK needs to meet steadily-increasing demand for energy from a growing population, yet at the same time reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. Dalcour Maclaren is helping the energy industry respond to these challenges by using ArcGIS to accelerate the implementation of new green energy schemes. 

With the UK targeting net zero carbon by 2050, new approaches to energy generation are urgently needed.  Developers are looking for ways to deliver green energy solutions, such as wind and solar power, more quickly, while UK regulators are increasing pressure on suppliers to meet new green targets including delivering net gains to biodiversity and carbon capture. 

As expectations increase and target dates get closer, Dalcour Maclaren is using ArcGIS to help its clients find space faster and secure the rights to build new projects that are going to bolster the supply of green energy across the UK and Ireland.  ArcGIS provides the backbone to all projects from identifying sites and producing plans to arranging access for construction works and sharing data with clients.  In the field, employees use ArcGIS mobile applications to view project information, complete habitat and heritage surveys and record data during site meetings, which can then be viewed in web apps, eliminating slow, paper-based processes.   

To date, Dalcour Maclaren has used ArcGIS to support the installation of 1300 wind turbines, resulting in the powering of 4 million homes with zero emissions. It has also used ArcGIS to help it provide expert advice on projects covering over 650,000 acres that will advance the use of renewable power and decarbonise the sector. By enabling employees to work more efficiently and consistently, in any location, ArcGIS accelerates projects throughout their lifecycle and helps Dalcour Maclaren to deliver these critically important green energy schemes more quickly.  

“ArcGIS underpins our ability to deliver projects quickly and helps us give confidence to our clients that net zero carbon can be achieved within the timescales set by the UK government.” Mike Lelliott, Senior GIS Specialist, Dalcour Maclaren 

Where can we locate low carbon heat systems in urban areas?   

Given that heating buildings accounts for more than 50% of all energy consumed in the UK, the decarbonisation of heat is a top priority for the UK and Scottish Government.  Research conducted by greenspace scotland using spatial analysis in ArcGIS has revealed new opportunities for low carbon heat solutions to meet up to 79% of Scotland’s urban heat demand. 

Across the UK around 80% of buildings are currently heated by fossil fuels, generating around 25% of our greenhouse gas emissions.  Alternative, low carbon heating solutions such as ground source, air source and water source heat pumps are well-proven and can be used to decarbonise heat supply in urban areas.  It can, however, be a major challenge to find suitable space for this infrastructure within our densely populated cities and towns.  

As a social enterprise, greenspace scotland has conducted new research highlighting where low carbon heating infrastructure could be hosted within Scotland’s 516 urban settlements.  Target areas focused on open spaces such as under existing parks and playing fields or in rivers and lakes. Using ArcGIS, the organisation was able to calculate the potential heat capacity of Scotland’s green and blue spaces and then categorise sites for low carbon heat solutions according to localised heat demand. It then disseminated this insight publicly via ArcGIS Online interactive dashboards.  One of the key findings of this geospatial analysis is that up to 50% of Glasgow’s urban heat demand could be met through the installation of a series of water source heat pumps along the River Clyde.    

While only 7% of Scotland’s heat demand is currently met by renewable heat sources, the ArcGIS research revealed that there is sufficient suitable urban green space for ground source heat pump systems to supply the equivalent of 43% of urban heat demand. In addition, in these same urban areas, there are suitable blue spaces where water source heat pumps could be installed to meet up to 50% of heating demand.  If implemented, these urban green energy schemes could reduce Scotland’s carbon emissions by a staggering 4.7 million tonnes, significantly reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.   

“ArcGIS tools have enabled us to analyse large volumes of energy-related data down to building level to address a key geographic problem around low carbon heat supply. The work has strengthened our national evidence base and raised awareness of the huge potential of urban open spaces to support low carbon heating both in Glasgow and across urban Scotland.” - Julie Procter, CEO, greenspace scotland 

How can we create healthier cities? 

Despite significant improvements in air quality over recent years, air pollution is still a major issue in London. Transport for London (TfL) is using ArcGIS to help it deliver a range of schemes to reduce people’s exposure to harmful emissions and support the Mayor of London’s campaign to create healthy streets.  

Everyone who lives, works and goes to school in London is exposed daily to high levels of air pollution. In particular, Londoners come into contact with dangerous levels of particulate matter, the airborne pollutant considered most harmful to human health. Recognising this, TfL is working together with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, on a range of initiatives to clean up the air and create a greener, safer city.  

The use of geographic information system (GIS) technology is fundamental to the success of these life-enhancing schemes. Around 2,700 people within TfL and its partners use a decision support tool called Surface Playbook, built on Esri’s ArcGIS software, to analyse climate risks and make better decisions about how, where and when new schemes should be implemented. Surface Playbook was used to inform the introduction of 350 School Streets, a vitally important new programme that restricts traffic to streets near schools at the start and end of school days, when young people are most at risk of exposure to harmful emissions. 

TfL has also developed a City Planner Tool using ArcGIS to accelerate the delivery of new schemes to create healthy streets. Planners at TfL – whether they are responsible for rail, underground, road, bus, cycle or pedestrian routes – can query and analyse over 200 data sets and accurately evaluate the potential benefits of different proposals.  In the last two years alone, TfL has delivered or begun construction on more than 100km of new or upgraded cycle lanes to help reduce reliance on cars for short journeys. Through healthy street schemes like this, TfL is reducing emissions and improving the quality of life for everyone in London, whether they are commuting to work, going to school or enjoying leisure time in the capital. 

“The Mayor of London and TfL are committed to reducing the impact of polluting road vehicles on the lives and health of people in London. The solutions TfL has developed using ArcGIS are helping it achieve this vitally important goal.” - Jaymie Croucher, GIS Lead, Transport for London 

How can we protect and improve natural capital? 

Like other cities around the UK, Edinburgh has natural capital – features like rivers, trees, grass verges and soil that help to counter air pollution and make urban living more sustainable.  Design consultancy Atkins has helped the City of Edinburgh Council to quantify the value of its natural capital and identify priority areas where biodiversity and nature can be enhanced.   

Edinburgh is renowned for its historic buildings, ancient streets and iconic vistas, but it also has an abundance of nature. The city boasts 112 parks and is reputed to have more trees per head of population than any other UK city. It is hardly surprising then, that the City of Edinburgh Council wants to protect its green and blue spaces and optimise the benefits that this natural capital delivers.   

“The research we have conducted using ArcGIS will help the City of Edinburgh Council to take natural capital into account in planning decisions and prioritise projects that will create sustainable drainage, increase habitat connectivity and improve air quality.” - Elspeth McIntyre, Senior Geospatial Consultant, Atkins 

The council commissioned Atkins to undertake an advanced study into the relative value of each 100-metre square of the city, evaluating the comparative ecosystem benefits of trees, grassland, streams, verges, parks, soil and more.  Carried out using ArcGIS, this geospatial analysis identified high value natural capital that must be protected, as well as opportunity areas where new natural capital could be introduced to deliver significant environmental improvements. For example, Atkins highlighted opportunities to collect run-off water from car parks to create new water channels alongside roads. These small streams would feed green verges and trees, offsetting road pollution and improving habitat connectivity to support the movement of wildlife in the city.  

As a part of the project, Atkins examined air pollution across the city, so that it could see where there is most urgent need for a new ecosystem service, such as new planting, that might help to improve air quality.  Information from the study is now being incorporated into the city’s new Local Development Plan to ensure that future developments in the city protect and expand natural capital.  The values attached to each area of natural capital, and each proposed site for new ecosystems, will help the council to prioritise the allocation of its funds, taking into account Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) views, and maximise the environmental benefits that it can deliver for the city.   

How can we help our peatlands to help us?  

After extracting peat commercially from Ireland’s bogs for more than 70 years, Bord na Móna is now restoring these precious peatlands so that they can help us by absorbing more carbon. The organisation is using ArcGIS to plan and implement the most appropriate rehabilitation measures to reinstate biodiversity and natural peatland function to help Ireland achieve net zero emissions by 2050.  

In January 2021, Bord na Móna permanently halted the commercial extraction of peat from bogs in Ireland and turned its attention to restoring and rehabilitating these vital ecosystems. Recognising the importance of peat bogs for carbon storage and absorption, biodiversity and other ecosystem services, it has set itself the ambitious target of regenerating 33,000 hectares of peatland in just five years. 

Ecologists use ArcGIS to gain a detailed understanding of the condition of bogs so that they can identify the most appropriate rehabilitation measures, not just on each bog, but within different parts of the same bog.  Each bog can be quite different, with a variable environment and a mosaic of peat depths, hydrology, habitats and topography.  Plans designed by ecologists can comprise multiple interventions such as drain-blocking and bunding to optimise hydrological conditions to re-wet peat.  These plans are then shared on ArcGIS Online, enabling all of the organisation’s ecology, environmental, surveying and engineering teams to develop plans together and ensure that they are implemented accurately. 

With bogs from Galway to East Kildare, employees are generally dispersed across the country and work in very remote, wild landscapes. The use of ArcGIS field apps eliminates the need for them to record information on paper and type it up later, saving time and improving the accuracy of data collection. For example, the environmental team uses ArcGIS Survey123 to record the locations of railway lines, pipes and machinery, left over from the industrial era, that need to be removed.  Equally, engineers use ArcGIS Field Maps to record the progress of different initiatives within a bog area on colour-coded maps of each site.  All the data collected in the field feeds into a series of Esri operational dashboards in near real time, enabling senior managers to monitor the progress of up to 19 simultaneous rehabilitation schemes per year.   

“ArcGIS is helping us to visualise, plan and carry out an extensive programme of peatland rehabilitation that will restore valuable ecosystems and deliver significant climate action benefits for our bogs.” - Mark McCorry, Ecology Manager, Bord na Móna 

What’s the best way to survey environmental changes in remote areas? 

Many of the most picturesque and precious natural environments in Wales are vast in size, hard to reach and therefore incredibly difficult to survey. To enable accurate evidence about environmental changes and conservation projects to be collected cost-effectively and quickly at remote locations, Natural Resources Wales uses ArcGIS and drones.   

“Drone2Map enables us to gain high quality evidence about a wide range of different environments, very quickly, which leads to better management of natural resources.” - Adam Burke, Lead Specialist Advisor, Geospatial, Natural Resources Wales 

Natural Resources Wales is responsible for ensuring that the environment and natural resources of Wales are maintained, protected and used in a sustainable way.  One of the organisation’s key roles is to gather and share evidence about the environment, which can then be used to inform vitally important decisions about conservation projects, land management and government policy.  Capturing this evidence is, however, not always easy. Some mountainous and coastal areas of Wales are very hard to reach, while others are so vast that they are too big to survey on the ground using traditional methods.    

To overcome these challenges, Natural Resources Wales uses drones and Esri’s ArcGIS Drone2Map solution to gather reliable evidence to inform environmental decisions. Drone2Map is playing a key role in Wales’ first national peatland action programme, where it is being used to gather data about upland peat bogs that are hard to reach on foot. New evidence about erosion and drainage is being amassed that will help to inform sustainable management and restoration plans for blanket and lowland peats. 

Natural Resources Wales gains significant benefits from being able to capture drone footage of the same site at regular intervals and then analyse the data to detect and better understand changes in the environment over time. At Pontarddulais near Swansea, for example, the organisation has used Drone2Map to help it monitor the installation of new habitats, including a wetlands area, over 3000 trees and shrubs, a pond and improved grassland near a new flood storage reservoir.  The organisation will continue to use Drone2Map at this site to survey the ongoing development of the new natural environment and measure the success of the scheme in improving biodiversity. 

How can we protect our heritage from climate change? 

Research undertaken on behalf of the National Trust has revealed that 71% of National Trust sites could be at risk from climate-related hazards by 2060.  The charity is sharing its findings in an interactive climate hazards map on ArcGIS Online, giving its staff and partners the foresight they need to protect historic buildings and monuments, as well as coastline and countryside. 

The National Trust cares for over 500 historic houses, castles, parks and gardens in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as nearly one million works of art and thousands of hectares of land.  Most of its properties were built hundreds of years ago for a very different climate and could be threatened by the extreme heat and humidity, added rainfall, high winds and erosion that are likely implications of climate change.    

To improve awareness of potential climate-related hazards at its sites, the National Trust has used ArcGIS Online to produce an interactive, web-based map comparing climate-related risks in 2020 with likely risks in 2060, if the level of greenhouse gas emissions is unchanged.  Property management teams at individual National Trust properties and heritage sites can now use ArcGIS Online to zoom into the map and see climate-related hazards at specific locations. They can then put plans in place to mitigate the potential impacts of climate change, such as using heat-adaptive building materials, slowing the flow of water in flood prone river valleys and planting trees to create shading.   

The hazard map highlights, in particular, the dramatic increases in heat and humidity that are likely in the south east of England over the next forty years.  The National Trust will now use this information to help identify ways to protect historic buildings and collections from rising temperatures, as well as tackle the increase in pests and damage likely to arise from greater humidity and water.  As the map is publically accessible, the National Trust hopes it will encourage other landowners, charities and developers to come together with the National Trust to tackle issues and work collaboratively to help protect the nation’s heritage for decades to come. 

Continued climate change is inevitable, so organisations around the world need to better understand the impacts that it might have on their business operations and assets.  Willis Tower Watson conducts advanced geospatial analysis with ArcGIS to help its clients identify, measure and respond to climate-related risks and opportunities, at each of their business locations.  

“The ArcGIS tools that we use as part of the Willis Tower Watson Climate Quantified service enable us to build a comprehensive narrative about climate risks and share this insight with our clients in a meaningful way.” - Sharon Palmer, Willis Tower Watson

Climate change creates new and enhanced business risks, ranging from the increased likelihood of flooding at commercial premises to the increased possibility of supply chain interruption from more frequent tropical storms.  For insurers, financial institutions and large corporations with global operations and premises or portfolios across multiple countries, it can be incredibly challenging to understand where climate-related risks are greatest and how to mitigate them. 

The multinational risk management and insurance brokering organisation Willis Tower Watson uses ArcGIS to analyse the latest data on climate change risks and provide accurate, location-specific advice to its clients.  Used in the delivery of the firm’s Climate Quantified™ service, ArcGIS allows data scientists to model hazards and vulnerabilities and quantify physical and transition risks around the world in different climate scenarios.  In addition, both employees and clients can use an ArcGIS-based tool called Climate Diagnostic to visualise actual and predicted changes in hazards, such as extreme wind, sea levels and heat stress.  The tool makes it very easy for people to visualise changes over time, at specific locations, and better understand how climate-related hazards could impact their operations, properties and portfolios in the future.    

By using ArcGIS to gain a deeper understanding of climate risks, Willis Tower Watson has been able to offer informed climate advice to thousands of the world’s leading financial institutions, governments, insurers and large, multinational businesses. The insight it provides helps these clients to plan ahead and make effective responses to climate change, including planning for decarbonisation; ensuring compliance with regulatory and disclosure requirements for climate-related risks; and building more resilient businesses and communities.   

Where can new forests be established to offset carbon emissions? 

In its 2021 report, Climate Change and Sustainability Strategic Approach, the MOD acknowledged the part it must play in helping the government to address climate change.  It was responsible for emitting around 3.95 million tonnes of carbon in 2019-2020, which corresponds to around 50% of central government’s greenhouse gas emissions. The MOD is now exploring ways to capture and offset this carbon, and one key strategy is to plant new forests on its land.   

Passionate about green initiatives, Captain Luke Parker of the British Army’s Royal Engineers instigated an innovative project to identify the best locations for new forests, based on a better understanding of the necessary conditions for growing trees.  He used Esri’s ArcGIS Pro solution to analyse data on land cover, land use, soil type, site latitude, elevation and steepness (slope).  He also took into account atmospheric effects and compass direction (aspect) for optimum sunlight, factoring daily and seasonal shifts of the sun angle and the effects of shadows cast by surrounding topography to find those sites with access to the right soil, land and sunshine to enable trees to thrive. 

In the initial proof of concept, the geospatial analysis highlighted 1,681.6 hectares of land at the Sennybridge Training Area (SENTA) in Wales that are highly suitable for afforestation.  If these prime locations are planted with climate resilient species such as Sitka Spruce, the research estimates that the MOD could sequester 38.5 kilotons of carbon through afforestation by 2050 at this training area alone.  If all defence estates were to yield a similar proportion of areas suitable for afforestation as SENTA, the MOD could sequester up to 28% of its annual carbon emissions (based on 2020 levels) through afforestation by 2050.   

“My research with ArcGIS Pro has gotten the conversation started with the right ecology experts to show where afforestation could take place to help the MOD offset nearly a third of its annual carbon expenditure from 2020 over the next thirty years.”  - Captain Luke Parker, Strategic Command, 42 Engineer Regiment 

Where can farmers have the biggest positive impact on the environment? 

The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland is proactively encouraging farmers to adopt more environmentally-beneficial agricultural practices.  It uses geospatial data to help it select the most advantageous land management options on a field-by-field basis, as well as ensuring funding is directed to the locations where it can have the greatest positive impact on the environment. 

Through its Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS), DAERA allocates funding and provides support to help farmers adopt more environmentally-beneficial agricultural practices in Northern Ireland.  Wide ranging in its goals, the initiative aims to restore biodiversity, improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, foster carbon conservation and reduce greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from agriculture.

To help it implement the EFS, DAERA analyses a large amount of geospatial information using the DAERA Information Hub, a geographic information system (GIS) solution built on the Esri ArcGIS Enterprise platform.  This critical decision support tool provides DAERA with the evidence it needs to formulate the most appropriate management plans, for each individual field, taking into account a wide range of environmental factors.  Planners use interactive maps to explore data on everything from habitats and water courses to land use in neighbouring fields, and can then recommend options such as creating buffers along riverbanks, known as riparian buffers, to keep livestock and nutrients out of rivers.   

The Information Hub also helps DAERA to target fields where improved land management would be particularly beneficial for the environment. DAERA can then approach specific farmers to encourage them to join the EFS.  In one coastal region, DAERA was able to pinpoint 120 fields in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) that had been designated as a priority for improved environmental management by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). DAERA then contacted the relevant farmers and now 118 of these fields are being managed more sustainably to support the recovery of this particularly important landscape.   

“Over 500 hectares of agricultural land in a coastal Special Area of Conservation are now under favourable management as a direct result of using GIS to identify specific fields where interventions could have the most positive impact on the environment.” - Stephen Trew, Senior Countryside Management Inspector, DAERA   

What changes are occurring to air quality and greenhouse gas emissions?  

Ricardo plays a vital role in helping governments to understand changes in air quality and greenhouse gas emissions.  It uses ArcGIS to accelerate complex data analyses and share its critical environmental data more easily with government clients. 

“Our work estimating air quality is vitally important. ArcGIS Pro is helping us to create high quality data that can be used by governments to improve the world we live in for us, our kids and future generations.” - Ioannis Tsagatakis, Principal Environmental Consultant, Ricardo  

All around the world, governments need accurate, up-to-date information to evidence the need for policy changes and new initiatives to stem climate change.  Ricardo is one of the leading organisations providing this evidence. It creates and shares data that can be used by air quality modellers, academics and policy makers to better understand climate change challenges and formulate the best new policies to improve public health.   

In the preparation of its air quality and emissions data, Ricardo uses ArcGIS Pro to automate highly complex data analyses and create high quality, accurate data sets in cost effective, repeatable processes.  For example, the company has allocated traffic emissions to Ordnance Survey’s Open Roads data, giving the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) a deeper understanding of the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and Britain’s transport infrastructure.

Ricardo also uses ArcGIS to publish its data and share it in interactive web apps with government departments in the UK and abroad.  Recently, it created an online tool for viewing heat demand data across different postcodes and regions of Cyprus.  Publically available, this solution enables government policy makers, businesses and citizens alike to explore heat demand data on interactive maps and make better decisions about how to conserve energy, reduce emissions and protect our planet. 

How can we prevent tidal flooding in London? 

Even if the world could reduce its carbon emissions to zero tomorrow, London would still be at risk from higher tides, caused by climate changes that are already in motion. City of London Corporation has used ArcGIS to accurately model likely future changes in the Thames and propose developments that will both reduce the risk of flooding and improve the sustainability of the riverside environment for future generations.    

The bank of the Thames in the City of London has changed significantly since the late 19th century when it was a major port for trade and shipbuilding.  This historic riverside must, however, continue to evolve to address the challenges of climate change.  Projected increases in the sea level, higher tides and more frequent tidal surges could lead to flooding if the riverfront is not developed to reinforce the existing river defences. 

To better understand the extent of the risks, the Environmental Resilience Team at City of London Corporation used ArcGIS and drone-captured data to model the impact of river level rises over time.  This geospatial analysis revealed that 70% of the riverside in the City of London will need to be raised by 2065, while 97% will have to be raised by 2100 to keep London and Londoners safe.  Significantly, the team discovered that parts of the existing flood defence will need to be increased by up to one metre, which will have an impact on nearby properties and businesses, as well as riverside walkways, street furniture, historical sites and vistas of the river.   

To share its findings with the public and stakeholders, the Environmental Resilience Team created a series of ArcGIS story maps that outline the challenges presented by rising river levels and clearly show which sections of the river need higher defences first.  The team’s pioneering research will be used to inform decisions about development projects that will not only raise the river defences, but, at the same time, also enhance the user experience of the riverside, improve opportunities for biodiversity and highlight the historic importance of the City’s riverbank.  

How much of our coastline will be lost to erosion? 

Researchers in Scotland have mapped the likely extent of coastal erosion in Scotland, under different climate change scenarios.  The use of ArcGIS helped the team to identify that assets with a value of £1.2 billion will be at risk by 2050, if action isn’t taken to stem rising sea levels induced by climate change.   

Coastal erosion is occurring more quickly and across more of Scotland’s coastline than previously recorded, putting homes, businesses, infrastructure and natural habitats at risk.  A ground-breaking and award-winning research project called Dynamic Coast has been carried out to investigate historic erosion and anticipate how climate change might accelerate erosion in the future.  This Scottish Government initiative was funded via Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), together with NatureScot and the St Andrews Links Trust. The research was carried out by the University of Glasgow.  

 The research team used Esri’s ArcGIS technology to analyse geo-rectified historical maps from the 1890s and 1970s, alongside modern maps and LiDAR. It then modelled future changes in the coastline, taking into account potential different sea level rises under different climate change scenarios.  By comparing the likely locations of erosion over time with the locations of existing coastal structures, the team identified assets with a value of £1.2 billion that are potentially at risk by 2050 if the world’s current level of emissions continues along a high emissions pathway.  The study also revealed that Scotland can avoid £400 million in damage to coastal assets if emissions are cut quickly to a low emissions pathway.   

"ArcGIS allows powerful analysis on coastal change to be undertaken and shared with the public, so that Scotland, her businesses and communities can become more sea level wise and resilient to climate change." - Dr Alistair Rennie, Coastal Erosion Coordination and Research Manager, Scottish Natural Heritage 

Under all of the sea level scenarios modelled using ArcGIS, the rate and extent of erosion is set to increase above today’s levels, which highlights the need for government bodies, businesses and communities to take urgent action to improve their resilience to coastal erosion. People who live, work and invest in coastal areas can now access the interactive maps and reports on  DynamicCoast.com  to help them consider short-term resilience measures and develop flexible long-term adaptation strategies.  As the data is displayed on simple-to-use interactive maps via ArcGIS Online, everyone can more easily understand the implications of climate change to their coastline, plan ahead and adapt to reduce their exposure to risk. 

How can we respond quickly to climate-related emergencies? 

Climate change has increased the frequency and severity of floods in the UK, putting people, property and the environment at risk.  To help it respond rapidly and effectively to major flooding incidents, the Environment Agency uses a suite of ArcGIS solutions to collect, analyse and share information about floods, as they happen. 

While global warming continues, the risk of extreme weather events and flooding, in particular, will continue to increase in the UK and indeed all of Europe.  Devastating floods, on the scale of those that occurred in the north of England in the winter of 2019-2020 and Belgium and Western Germany in July 2021, are likely to become more frequent, requiring a faster response from government agencies and support organisations.   

In the UK, the Environment Agency has accelerated its response to major flooding incidents by improving the collection and sharing of real-time data.  Now over 2,500 field-based employees use ArcGIS mobile solutions to capture photos, videos, drone footage and flood outlines on their smartphones or tablets, as crises unfold. This invaluable information is then uploaded immediately to a live Incident Management (IM) Portal built on ArcGIS technology and hosted by Esri UK.  Essential insight into flooding events is visible on Esri dashboards in seconds, allowing managers to make well-informed, real-time decisions and implement plans more quickly.   

With access to this up-to-the-minute information, employees in the Environment Agency’s national incident control centre can make a rapid appraisal of the extent and criticality of major incidents.  They can allocate the right teams of people and the right equipment to deal with situations appropriately and without delay.  They can also alert other emergency responders and the general public to fast-changing situations, to help save lives.  Following incidents, all of the information collected can be subsequently analysed and incorporated into flood models to help the Environment Agency plan for future events and further improve the effectiveness of its response.