New tools to map where environmental pressures impact communities - Natural England

Two new analytical tools launched to identify where environmental, socio-economic and health pressures affect communities across England

From today (Monday 22 June), a wide range of users, including local authorities, government, NGOs and others, will be able to see at a street-level where environmental and climate pressures are hitting socio-economically deprived communities hardest. Environmental and climate change impacts are disproportionately felt by those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, with these communities facing greater barriers to action, particularly in areas vulnerable to extreme heat and flooding.

Launched at the start of London Climate Week, two new analytical tools will provide organisations across England with robust evidence to pinpoint where environmental pressures overlap with socio-economic and health challenges.

The tools provide a consistent, transparent evidence base designed for use by a wide range of organisations who can then target resources, strengthen planning decisions and take more joined-up approaches to environmental, socio-economic and health challenges.

For example, measures such as urban greening, housing retrofit, heat resilient design standards and targeted public health responses need to be prioritised in the most deprived areas.