drought

Flood defence spending needs to rise £20m above inflation each year or four times as many properties may end up at risk

New UN-backed principles endorsed by insurance firms with over $5tr of assets under management

Engineers warn delaying the Water Bill further increases the risk of shortages

Wet April sees 19 counties declared drought free but Environment Agency remains concerned at groundwater levels

More than half of water companies will not be required to reduce leakages before 2015, despite the worst drought in 25 years

Report says governments across Europe may need to send prices signals as part of urgent action needed to tackle shortages

Businesses urged to conserve water as 17 more regions move into drought status

DECC and Defra pay for new supercomputers as new research links industrial air pollution and "natural" disasters

UN scientists warn climate change is set to cause increasingly dangerous and costly weather disasters

UK firm's trials show salt water can be used to grow crops in arid desert environments