People’s Assembly: the climate crisis problem-solving forum at the Brickworks Community Centre

ARE we prepared for extreme rainfall and flash flooding?

This was the subject of a problem-solving forum for Islington residents concerned about climate change and flooding, held at Brickworks Community Centre in Crouch Hill last Thursday night.

More than 40 people turned out for the event, known as a People’s Assembly, citing fears about the prospect of flooding in their basement homes, or for friends and family in flood-hit Spain during the past fortnight.

Anna Hyde, co-founder of the Islington Climate Centre, which hosted the event, said: “We are here to start making some plans because nobody else is coming to save us. We are the people who are doing it.

“It is community that builds resilience. Obviously budget helps, but in a crisis your next door neighbour is your most important person.”

Ms Hyde explained how rising temperatures cause the atmosphere to hold more moisture, meaning that climate change is contributing to more intense rainfall.

Islington’s environment chief Rowena Champion spoke to the room about how the council is responding to the increased risks of flooding associated with climate change.

She said: “Changing our streets into much more absorbent, cooler areas is not just a case of making them nicer and more attractive for people to go out, and we know it does. But for some people – older people, people who are financially less resilient – it actually may be a matter of life and death.”

Cllr Champion explained that the greener our streets are – with ”pocket parks”, trees and plant boxes – the easier it is for excess rain­water to drain into the ground.

London-specific issues that make the city vulnerable to flash flooding include its concrete landscape, Victorian sewage system, growing population and high density.

When one local resident Charlie, asked Cllr Champion if the council has a strategy for distributing flood preparation advice to residents, she said they were in the “early stages” of working one out.

Charlie replied: “Unfortunately, climate change isn’t in the early stages. It’s racing at double speed more than anybody thought.”

Another attendee chipped in, saying: “You declared a climate emergency like five years ago. Why is it early stages now?”

Cllr Champion said it was important for the council to first understand how best to communicate with people.

Residents then split into groups to brainstorm how their communities could better prepare for extreme flooding before presenting their ideas back to the room.