Aggregate Industries CEO Lee Sleight and Kaziwe Kaulule, the company's aggregates division managing director, spoke out on the issue during Flood Action Week, which this year ran from 14 to 20 October.
This year's Environment Agency-led awareness campaign coincides with the first anniversary of Storm Babet, which brought significant flooding across the country.
According to the Met Office, Storm Babet was England and Wales's third wettest three-day period in a series since 1891. The Environment Agency protected nearly 96,900 properties during Storm Babet, though sadly, around 2,150 were flooded.
Sleight and Kaulule's strong backing for national flood defence improvements also follows last month's first convening of a new Floods Resilience Taskforce to turbocharge the development of flood defences and bolster Britain's resilience to extreme weather.
The Taskforce brings together the Secretary of State and Floods Minister Emma Hardy with representatives from Defra, MHCLG, Home Office, Cabinet Office, the Environment Agency, the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Offices, emergency responders and the National Farmers Union, among others.
"In the face of the relentless and escalating threat of coastal erosion, we stand at a critical juncture where the silent force of the seas is reshaping the very fabric of our nation," said Sleight. "The disheartening reality is that land which was present merely 50 years ago has vanished, and the forecasted rise in sea levels by a metre over the next century paints a dire picture.
"A £5.2 billion commitment was made by government in 2020 to protect vulnerable locations across England. From our experience over many years working with the Environment Agency to fortify the UK coastline, it has been clear that the enormity of the challenge has demanded much more than this investment.
"The recent formation of the Floods Resilience Taskforce is a sure sign the new Government acknowledges its vital duty of care to drive flood defence projects much harder. We fully support this move and offer the support of our experts and capabilities so that we together can innovate, fortify and safeguard the resilience of our coastlines for generations to come."
Kaulule said: "As an island nation, the UK's coastal and riverside communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change, rising sea levels and erosion, with 1.35 million properties and 1,600km of major roads at risk of potential inundation by 2100.
"The recent creation of the Floods Resilience Taskforce is a clear and reassuring signal that the Government is prioritising developing robust solutions to fortify defences, protect communities and ultimately secure our collective future.
"Aggregate Industries has been at the forefront of river and coastal defences for many years, working with local authorities and the Environment Agency to confront the challenges of today's climate emergency.
"Demand for river and coast defence materials from our Glensanda superquarry in Scotland has risen by 65% since 2019, and we have seen a 28% increase in the past year alone supplied to vulnerable locations across the UK, such as Lincolnshire's Stallingborough Sea Defence Improvement Scheme. This equates to 108 kilotonnes of native quarried rock armour and other water management products, the equivalent tonnage needed to make more than 30 of the Thames Barrier's steel gates.
"With the Taskforce examining how to accelerate the implementation of flood and drainage systems, it is crucial that the Government emphasises sustainable, nature-based solutions which balance environmental conservation with economic and social needs.
"Although the UK as an island nation is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather, we still have an impressive stock of natural defences at our disposal across the nation's quarries. We see a clear role here for the quarrying industry in helping the Government achieve its goals. To this end, Aggregate Industries is offering the Taskforce the full support of its experts and capabilities so that together we can work to sustainably safeguard the shores of tomorrow."
