Coffee & Geography Espresso - 12 - UK Flood Action Week 2026

In this Espresso & Geography special, Kit Marie explains the importance of the UK Environment Agency's Flood Action Week, taking place between 12-18th October 2026. This year's campaign arrives at a critical juncture as a super strong El Niño threatens to supercharge global weather patterns, significantly increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall and devastating winter washouts across the UK. With climate change already making intense storms the "new normal", the added atmospheric instability of El Niño elevates the danger of both flash flooding and overflowing rivers. For school leaders, the stakes are remarkably high: nearly half of all schools in England (10,710 settings) are already vulnerable to flood risks. A severe weather season could disrupt education, damage critical infrastructure, and threaten student safety. Flood Action Week is therefore an essential catalyst for public awareness, urging school leaders to move past passive compliance and actively integrate flood mitigation into their emergency and climate action plans before the worst of the seasonal weather hits. Vital resources and useful tools: 🔗 Use the Gov.uk Assess and manage flood risk in schools checklist. Consider whether flood risk is reflected in your school’s emergency planning and climate action planning. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ae1dfe6e6c8d18118acda9/Assess_and_manage_flood_risk_in_schools_-_checklist.pdf 🔗 Encourage staff to understand local flood risk and how singing up for flood warnings can support preparedness. https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/ and https://www.gov.uk/get-flood-warnings 🔗 Use the free Environment Agency Flood Action Week resources to deliver an assembly, or tutor activity to engage children and young people with the subject. https://geography.org.uk/resources/flood-action-week/ 🔗 Schools (Neighbourhood) Climate Vulnerability Explorer: http://t.ly/6s95T 🔗 Further information and resources for Flood Action Week 2026 from FPS Environmental: https://fpsenvironmental.co.uk/flood-action-week-2026/ #CoffeeGeogPod #EnvironemntAgency #FloodActionWeek #FloodRisk #ClimateResilience #GeographyEducation #GIS #Vulnerability #ClimateJustice #Mapping