Zurich research stands out because it links science, engineering, finance, health, and climate work in a compact academic city. Zurich’s setting helps connect ideas across disciplines. Where the strongest work happens Key areas include robotics, life sciences, AI, sustainable materials, and urban systems. Robotics remains one of Zurich’s visible research strengths.

Storm names help people track severe weather, but the name alone does not tell the whole story. Storm Claudia signals a Google s ystem that could bring disruptive conditions, so the key is to watch the warnings, not the label. Named storms can change local conditions quickly. What the storm could bring A named storm often means a mix of strong winds, heavy rain, rough seas, and travel disruption. The worst effects can vary widely by region. Coastal areas may see large waves,

Flooding can move from “unlikely” to “urgent” in a matter of hours. Heavy rain, saturated ground, blocked drains, river rise, coastal surges, and surface water can all put homes, roads, farms, and local services under pressure. The best time to prepare is before the forecast turns serious. Flood Action Week is a useful reminder to check risk, make a plan, protect what matters, and know what to do when water starts rising. A few practical steps can reduce damage, save time, an

A flood turns normal life upside down in minutes. One room fills, the power goes, children need somewhere warm, and the question shifts from “How bad is it?” to “What do we do now?” Across the UK, support is available, but it often comes from several places at once: emergency services, councils, insurers, landlords, charities, neighbours, and health teams. Knowing who to contact first can make the first few days less chaotic and help recovery move faster. This guide explains

MESSAGE FROM SANJAY – I hope you’re all staying cool. This recent heatwave has stirred some thoughts for me. Something that has become increasingly clear through my conversations with communities up and down the country, is that flooded people are seeing our climate change with their own eyes, becoming the frontline experts of experiencing its effects. For many, climate extremes are no longer a matter of abstract or hypothetical debates about something that might happen in

How to make sense of the government’s flood funding announcements for England: what the headline figures mean, how flood budgets work, whether investment is adequate, and where the numbers remain genuinely uncertain.

A briefing on the Government's proposed reforms to England's National Planning Policy Framework and what they mean for flood risk — especially surface water flooding — and the position of Flooded People UK and the flood action groups it represents.

A SLIGHTLY TECHNICAL MESSAGE OF HOPE: Dear all, Back from two weeks of leave, I came back to find a technical report for the Climate Change Committee’s big new risk assessment waiting on my desktop. It’s not exactly a page-turner but it remains an uplifting and deeply hopeful and nonsense free analysis. So today, I wanted to give you a quick summary of the key facts and findings and why this is, in my view, one of the most powerful cases to date for an ambitious agenda for

Full report here A MYSTERY RESOLVED… Dear all, Last June, the government announced £790m a year in flood defence funding and called it a record, when the previous one had pledged £866m a year. So that sent me down a journey, which I have now resolved. Read through to know where things stand… Things not making sense: When the government tells you £790m is bigger than £866m, it’s your responsibility as a campaigner to a) not take their word for it, b) try to understand exact

POWERFUL FLOOD GROUPS and POLITE CAGE RATTLERS Dear all, A few weeks ago I asked our online community the following question. ‘What does 'empowering' flooded communities mean to you, and when have you felt powerful in your flood journeys?’ I got 33 responses and it sent me down a bit of a journey. Let me share a few responses, based on those that garnered the most likes from peers… “Constructive engagement with authorities, policy input, good access to data and climate ch

DIRTY BUSINESS Dear all, If you had to make a series like Dirty Business about flooding, how would you do it? I’d start this month, in an office of the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government where, in a meeting, the minister and some aides would be deciding to make it easier to build in flood risk areas in the middle of a climate crisis. Someone in the room would explain that all would be fine, as the developers would have to prove that their plans are safe

A shift in strategy? Why some flood groups may be lobbying the wrong people, and how to change that. Dear all, In such a dynamic project as this one, the team and I need to always be thinking about the course we’re on, constantly evaluating and re-strategising. For today’s newsletter, I wanted to share some of our recent reflections. The old approach finds its limits It used to be that the main playbook for a flooded community was to get flooded people together to the

For the busy reader: A first year in review: Dear all, If I’d tried to write this newsletter a year ago, there wouldn’t have been much to say. We had no newsletter, no group, no gatherings, no site visits, no media presence, etc. We were just about workshopping the name “Flooded People UK.” We’ve enjoyed quite a few little successes since then, and this newsletter is for celebrating them. With all of us getting out of holiday slumber (I’m on my second coffee and it’s 10:

A complete introduction to flood and coastal erosion risk management in Wales: the nature and drivers of the risk, the tools to manage it, the system that governs it, and an evidence-based look at how well it works.

A month in storm season: Dear all, “How did everyone else sleep last night,” asked a member of the community. “It really upsets me that most of our elderly residents were up all night watching a pointless gauge,” they continued.. Such conversations were a defining feature of this month at Flooded People UK as two consecutive storms lashed the country. Our protocol for responding to such events has been tested and fine tuned. We are now all in flood season. For some of us in

From: Katia Sanhueza-Pino Dear all, For several years, across England and Wales, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles of flooded communities. Time and again, people tell me they feel unheard, misunderstood, and unsupported. Tangible commitments to prevent flooding and protect lives are too slow in coming. Whether we call it climate change adaptation or sustainable investment in new and existing infrastructure, both are desperately needed. The level of “resilience” expect

Dear all, Since launching in February, we’ve built a thriving network of about fifty flooded communities. In fact, we’ve crossed the threshold of 100 members in the online community this month. But now comes the real test. And, for this newsletter, I want to invite you to join us on it. As winter approaches, many flooded people expect to get flooded again. They are hunkering down, preparing plans, and tuning into warnings. Faced with this situation, we need to accomp

Dear all, If you’ve had a holiday and are slowly checking back in, welcome. I’m personally at that sweet spot with my batteries fully charged, ready to get back to work. I want to share some massive news. Flooded People UK have successfully led a group of organisations in applying for a £1.47million grant, which will fund work around flooding in highly disadvantaged neighbourhoods for the next four years. The process started some time ago when, in 2024, I met Sanjay

Hi everyone, I can’t believe it’s been six months since we’ve launched. It’s flown by. Thinking about those months before we slow down for summer, I thought I’d share a bit of a recap of what we’ve been up to. So it’s a bit of a send off before we get back to full-speed this coming September. To put it simply, six months ago a few flood professionals and community organisers came together to decide on our vision. Now we have a well moderated online community where 96 floo

July 2025 -- Flooded People UK has submitted its response to Defra's consultation, "Reforming our approach to floods funding." The submission draws on more than 70 responses from flooded people across over 50 communities and has been formally endorsed by 11 flood action groups. You can read the full document below. Here's a short summary of what we said. Why this matters The way flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) is funded shapes whether repeatedly flooded comm