... illion are at risk of flooding. The annual spend on flood defences is some 0.5 billion 64 of all flood defences are in good condition or better. 72 of people in flood risk areas are no aare of this although feer than 1 in 10 people at risk have taken steps to prepare for flooding. Floodline, the Agencys flooding information service and 24 hour helpline, has received 1.4 million calls since its launch in 1999.Air quality Compared ith the 1960s there are no four times more cars, doing four times the mileage, but 20 modern cars produce the same amount of pollution as one 1960s car. In the UK, one-fifth of fine particles, one-quarter of CO2, and 44 of nitrogen oxides come from traffic, but this contribution is much higher in urban areas. Improvements in technology are reducing emissions from vehicles but greater car use is offsetting some of the gain. Journeys hen the engine is cold pollute up to 60 more than hen the engine is hot. In a 4km journey 80 of the emissions are during the first kilometre. Some people are more susceptible to air pollution than others. Vulnerable groups include the young and elderly, people ith respiratory problems and asthma sufferers. About one in ten of all people ho die each year may have died slightly early because of air pollution. In urban areas, days of poor air quality occur about once every to and a half eeks on average. Ten years ago the frequency as once every six days.i1s High ozone levels build up hen UK emissions are mixed ith polluted air masses from continental Europe. In August 2003 peak ozone concentrations in parts of England ere at their highest since 1990, and in September 2003 peak levels occurred at the latest in the year since 1985. The UK ranks mid-ay among European countries for sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions per head but has achieved the fourth large ... Download