Changes

[[File:Causes-for-urban-floods-based-on-Jiang-Zevenbergen-18.png|500px|thumb|right|Insufficient drainage systems, climate change, high-impact development, and urban spread exacerbate flooding in cities (Kumar et al., 2021)<ref>: Kumar, N., Liu, X., Narayanasamydamodaran, S., Pandey, K.K. 2021. A Systematic Review Comparing Urban Flood Management Practices in India to China’s Sponge City Program. Sustainability, 13, 6346. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116346</ref>.]]

[[File:Causes-for-urban-floods-based-on-Jiang-Zevenbergen-18.png|500px|thumb|right|Insufficient drainage systems, climate change, high-impact development, and urban spread exacerbate flooding in cities (Kumar et al., 2021)<ref>: Kumar, N., Liu, X., Narayanasamydamodaran, S., Pandey, K.K. 2021. A Systematic Review Comparing Urban Flood Management Practices in India to China’s Sponge City Program. Sustainability, 13, 6346. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13116346</ref>.]]

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==Introduction==

==Overview==

[[File:2022-01-18-severe-weather-2021-21-billion-damage-image2.jpeg|thumb|500px|The above chart shows insurable losses each year caused by natural disasters, the most costly of these being flooding, as reported by the Insurance Bureau of Canada in 2022. ''“In today's world of extreme weather events, the new normal for yearly insured catastrophic losses in Canada has become $2 billion, most of it due to water-related damage. Compare this to the period between 1983 and 2008, when Canadian insurers averaged only $422 million a year in severe weather-related losses."'' (IBC, 2022).<ref>Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). 2022. Severe Weather in 2021 Caused $2.1 Billion in Insured Damage." News & Insights. Accessed: https://www.ibc.ca/news-insights/news/severe-weather-in-2021-caused-2-1-billion-in-insured-damage</ref>.]]

[[File:2022-01-18-severe-weather-2021-21-billion-damage-image2.jpeg|thumb|500px|The above chart shows insurable losses each year caused by natural disasters, the most costly of these being flooding, as reported by the Insurance Bureau of Canada in 2022. ''“In today's world of extreme weather events, the new normal for yearly insured catastrophic losses in Canada has become $2 billion, most of it due to water-related damage. Compare this to the period between 1983 and 2008, when Canadian insurers averaged only $422 million a year in severe weather-related losses."'' (IBC, 2022).<ref>Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). 2022. Severe Weather in 2021 Caused $2.1 Billion in Insured Damage." News & Insights. Accessed: https://www.ibc.ca/news-insights/news/severe-weather-in-2021-caused-2-1-billion-in-insured-damage</ref>.]]

Flooding is a major environmental and economic challenge, particularly in urban areas where impervious surfaces prevent natural infiltration. Flooding can result in traffic interruption, economic loss, infrastructure damage, basement flooding and other undesirable consequences. [[Climate change]] is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, exacerbating flood risks. This will be particularly severe in older areas where the minor system was not designed to today’s standards and/or major drainage system pathways have been altered or do not exist. Catastrophic losses from flooding have been steadily rising in Canada over the last two decades.

Flooding is a major environmental and economic challenge, particularly in urban areas where impervious surfaces prevent natural infiltration. Flooding can result in traffic interruption, economic loss, infrastructure damage, basement flooding and other undesirable consequences. [[Climate change]] is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, exacerbating flood risks. This will be particularly severe in older areas where the minor system was not designed to today’s standards and/or major drainage system pathways have been altered or do not exist. Catastrophic losses from flooding have been steadily rising in Canada over the last two decades.