Floods

According to the United Nations, water is the primary medium through which we will feel the effect of climate change, both through flooding and droughts.

Many scientists are predicting that the amount of rainfall will increase as the global average temperature increases. This is due to 2 factors:

1. As the air temperature increases, its capacity to hold water increases. According to the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, for every 1 degree Celsius that the temperature increases, the air can hold 7% more water. Therefore, a world that is 4 degrees warmer than the pre-industrial era would have around 28% more water vapour in the atmosphere.
2. Increased heat leads to higher levels of evaporation and drying, increasing the amount of water vapour

Leeds has already been hit with floods, the most famous being the Boxing Day floods of 2015. During these floods there was:

• Record river levels
• Over 1600 businesses effected
• Nearly £47 million losses to the local economy
• 45% of flooded premises suffered structural damage
• Hundreds of businesses became uninsurable

Many SAIL members and arts and cultural organisations were directly effected by this flood, as shown in the pictures and videos

More data on rainfall predictions can be found in this Carbon Brief article

Open Source Arts premises flooded

Leeds Museums and Galleries – Thwaites Mill flooded