Aviva has teamed up with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust to support a five-year project that seeks to mitigate flood risk and make Bristol the first Ramsar-accredited wetland city in the UK. Data from Aviva shows that almost a third of homes in Bristol are at risk from river, coastal or surface water flooding.

The project comprises 200 different projects ranging from restoring ponds in urban parks, rivers and brooks to creating new mini wetlands that capture and redirect rainwater to help reduce flooding.

Claudine Blamey, chief sustainability officer at Aviva, said: “Aviva sees firsthand the impact that extreme weather can have on customers and communities. We support practical, nature-based approaches to climate adaptation that can help create more resilient, nature-rich places for communities, so we can reduce risk as well as insure it.

“With WWT’s expertise and Bristol’s strong network of local partners and community organisations, Bristol is the ideal candidate for the UK’s first wetland city. We hope this place-based approach paves the way for other towns and cities across the UK to become wetland cities, helping them get ready for the future.”