scholarly journals Exploring Science–Policy Interactions in a Technical Policy Field: Climate Change and Flood Risk Management in Austria, Southern Germany, and Switzerland

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf Nordbeck ◽  
Lukas Löschner ◽  
Melani Pelaez Jara ◽  
Michael Pregernig
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Science Policy ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Risk Governance ◽  
Southern Germany ◽  
Policy Interactions ◽  
Alpine Regions ◽  
Policy Field

This paper analyses the science–policy interactions in the field of flood risk governance against the background of climate change. By the example of three neighbouring Alpine regions (Switzerland, Southern Germany and Austria), the study strives to shed further light on how flood risk governance regimes embrace the possible impacts of climate change. It builds on the assumption that flood risk management, as a ‘technical’ policy field, is strongly influenced by scientific evidence and that differences in how countries incorporate climate change can be explained by the way science and policy are brought together in the respective national arenas. We structure the empirical analysis along three dimensions: (i) dynamics of knowledge creation; (ii) institutionalization of the science–policy interface; and (iii) pathways of influence of expertise on policy development. We find that there is a mixed, though increasing influence of climate change on flood risk governance in the three selected Alpine regions. Climate adaptation has become an important issue of flood policy in all three study areas, and this shift has been strongly supported by evidence-based arguments.

scholarly journals Assessing real options in urban surface water flood risk management under climate change

2018 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haixing Liu ◽  
Yuntao Wang ◽  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Albert S. Chen ◽  
Guangtao Fu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Real Options ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Urban Surface

Governance of flood risk management in a time of climate change: the cases of Jakarta and Rotterdam

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Ward ◽  
W. P. Pauw ◽  
M. W. van Buuren ◽  
M. A. Marfai
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Flood Risk Management

scholarly journals The evolution of climate change guidance for fluvial flood risk management in England

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas S Reynard ◽  
Alison L Kay ◽  
Molly Anderson ◽  
Bill Donovan ◽  
Caroline Duckworth
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Flood Management ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Floods are one of the biggest natural hazards to society, and there is increasing concern about the potential impacts of climate change on flood occurrence and magnitude. Furthermore, flood risk is likely to increase in the future not just through increased flood occurrence, but also through socio-economic changes, such as increasing population. The extent to which adaptation measures can offset this increased risk will depend on the level of future climate change, but there exists an urgent need for information on the potential impacts of climate change on floods, so that these can be accounted for by flood management authorities and local planners aiming to reduce flood risk. Agencies across the UK have been pro-active in providing such guidance for many years and in refining it as the science of climate change and hydrological impacts has developed. The history of this guidance for fluvial flood risk in England is presented and discussed here, including the recent adoption of a regional risk-based approach. Such an approach could be developed and applied to flood risk management in other countries, and to other sectors affected by climate change.

scholarly journals Adaptive Capacities for Diversified Flood Risk Management Strategies: Learning from Pilot Projects

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2643
Author(s):  
Flavia Simona Cosoveanu ◽  
Jean-Marie Buijs ◽  
Marloes Bakker ◽  
Teun Terpstra
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Pilot Projects ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Climate Change Effects ◽  
Risk Management Strategies

Diversification of flood risk management strategies (FRMS) in response to climate change relies on the adaptive capacities of institutions. Although adaptive capacities enable flexibility and adjustment, more empirical research is needed to better grasp the role of adaptive capacities to accommodate expected climate change effects. This paper presents an analytical framework based on the Adaptive Capacity Wheel (ACW) and Triple-loop Learning. The framework is applied to evaluate the adaptive capacities that were missing, employed, and developed throughout the ‘Alblasserwaard-Vijfheerenlanden’ (The Netherlands) and the ‘Wesermarsch’ (Germany) pilot projects. Evaluations were performed using questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. From the 22 capacities of ACW, three capacities were identified important for diversifying the current FRMS; the capacity to develop a greater variety of solutions, continuous access to information about diversified FRMS, and collaborative leadership. Hardly any capacities related to ‘learning’ and ‘governance’ were mentioned by the stakeholders. From a further reflection on the data, we inferred that the pilot projects performed single-loop learning (incremental learning: ‘are we doing what we do right?’), rather than double-loop learning (reframing: ‘are we doing the right things?’). As the development of the framework is part of ongoing research, some directions for improvement are highlighted.

scholarly journals Human health in systemic adaptation to climate change: insights from flood risk management in a river basin

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Assmuth ◽  
Tanja Dubrovin ◽  
Jari Lyytimäki
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Human Health ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Flood Risks

AbstractHuman health risks in dealing with floods in a river basin in South-Western Finland are analysed as an example of scientific and practical challenges in systemic adaptation to climate change and in integrated governance of water resources. The analysis is based on case reports and plans, on literature studies and on conceptual models of risks and risk management. Flood risks in the Northern European study area are aggravated by melt- and storm-water runoff, ice jams and coastal flooding. Flood risk assessment is linked with management plans based on EU directives as applied in the case area. National risk management policies and procedures of increasing scope and depth have been devised for climate change, water resources and overall safety, but an integrated approach to health risks is still largely missing. The same is true of surveys of perceived flood risks, and participatory deliberation and collaborative planning procedures for flood risk management in the case area, specifically for adaptive lake regulation. Health impacts, risks and benefits, socio-economic and systemic risks, and over-arching prevention, adaptation and compensation measures are not fully included. We propose a systematic framework for these extensions. Particular attention needs to be given to health risks due to flooding, e.g. from water contamination, moist buildings, mental stress and infrastructure damage and also from management actions. Uncertainties and ambiguities about risks present continuing challenges. It is concluded that health aspects of flooding are complex and need to be better included in assessment and control, to develop more integrated and adaptive systemic risk governance.

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