New analysis reveals local areas under environmental threat
Problems include increased flood risks, air pollution and sewage leaks
Communities in England are facing increased flood risks, air pollution and sewage leaks in their area, an analysis of constituency-level data suggests.
Researchers from campaign group Friends of the Earth examined the latest data from various official sources, including Government figures, the National Audit Office, Natural England and the Environment Agency.
Boston and Skegness, the East Midlands constituency represented by deputy reform leader Richard Tice who has opposed climate action, is the most at risk of floods nationwide, according to their findings. Here, more than 90% of homes are at risk from flooding, the figures show.
Other notable findings from the analysis include those for the Lincolnshire constituency of South Holland and the Deepings, which has the lowest tree cover in England at 2.2% and where more than 70% of homes are currently threatened by flooding.
Hull is among the cities most exposed to flooding, with three-quarters of homes in the Hull North & Cottingham and Hull East constituencies at risk, according to the analysis.
The analysis comes ahead of the release of the UK Government's next climate plan.
The carbon budget delivery plan, set to be published next week, will outline climate policies for the period of 2033 to 2037 as part of ensuring the UK stays on track to cut net emissions to zero by 2050.
Friends of the Earth is calling for the plan to include measures that will drive down bills, better insulate people's homes and create new green jobs.
Beyond the carbon budget delivery plan, the campaign group urged the Government to do more for nature by taking a zero-tolerance approach to polluters of rivers and coasts.
The researchers also found that every single neighbourhood in more than 90% of constituencies in England has unsafe levels of air pollution.
Some 59 constituencies have neighbourhoods with air pollution which is more than double that of World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines - 11 of which are in London, their analysis suggests.
Meanwhile, Cumbria constituencies Penrith and Solway, and Westmorland and Lonsdale, also ranked highly, the researchers said.
Eight Liberal Democrats representing constituencies were found to be in the top 20 for hours of sewage overflows.
Elsewhere, all of London's 1,002 neighbourhoods are classified as high risk for extreme heat, the analysis found, including all neighbourhoods in the constituencies of Tottenham and Birmingham Ladywood.