Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward?
European countries face increasing flood risks because of urbanization, increase of exposure and damage potential, and the effects of climate change. In literature and in practice, it is argued that a diversification of strategies for flood risk management (FRM), including flood risk prevention (thr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Resilience Alliance
2016-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Society |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss4/art52/ |
| _version_ | 1818738968697503744 |
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| author | Dries L. T. Hegger Peter P. J. Driessen Mark Wiering Helena F. M. W. van Rijswick Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz Piotr Matczak Ann Crabbé G. Tom. Raadgever Marloes H. N. Bakker Sally J. Priest Corinne Larrue Kristina Ek |
| author_facet | Dries L. T. Hegger Peter P. J. Driessen Mark Wiering Helena F. M. W. van Rijswick Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz Piotr Matczak Ann Crabbé G. Tom. Raadgever Marloes H. N. Bakker Sally J. Priest Corinne Larrue Kristina Ek |
| author_sort | Dries L. T. Hegger |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | European countries face increasing flood risks because of urbanization, increase of exposure and damage potential, and the effects of climate change. In literature and in practice, it is argued that a diversification of strategies for flood risk management (FRM), including flood risk prevention (through proactive spatial planning), flood defense, flood risk mitigation, flood preparation, and flood recovery, makes countries more flood resilient. Although this thesis is plausible, it should still be empirically scrutinized. We aim to do this. Drawing on existing literature we operationalize the notion of "flood resilience" into three capacities: capacity to resist; capacity to absorb and recover; and capacity to transform and adapt. Based on findings from the EU FP7 project STAR-FLOOD, we explore the degree of diversification of FRM strategies and related flood risk governance arrangements at the national level in Belgium, England, France, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden, as well as these countries' achievement in terms of the three capacities. We found that the Netherlands and to a lesser extent Belgium have a strong capacity to resist, France a strong capacity to absorb and recover, and especially England a high capacity to transform and adapt. Having a diverse portfolio of FRM strategies in place may be conducive to high achievements related to the capacities to absorb/recover and to transform and adapt. Hence, we conclude that diversification of FRM strategies contributes to resilience. However, the diversification thesis should be nuanced in the sense that there are different ways to be resilient. First, the three capacities imply different rationales and normative starting points for flood risk governance, the choice between which is inherently political. Second, we found trade-offs between the three capacities, e.g., being resistant seems to lower the possibility to be absorbent. Third, to explain countries' achievements in terms of resilience, the strategies' feasibility in specific physical circumstances and their fit in existing institutional contexts (appropriateness), as well as the establishment of links between strategies, through bridging mechanisms, have also been shown to be crucial factors. We provide much needed reflection on the implications of this diagnosis for governments, private parties, and citizens who want to increase flood resilience. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:17:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b9b69a0cf7246d189fd602dabd851ce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1708-3087 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:17:22Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Society |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b9b69a0cf7246d189fd602dabd851ce2022-12-21T21:25:55ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872016-12-012145210.5751/ES-08854-2104528854Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward?Dries L. T. Hegger0Peter P. J. Driessen1Mark Wiering2Helena F. M. W. van Rijswick3Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz4Piotr Matczak5Ann Crabbé6G. Tom. Raadgever7Marloes H. N. Bakker8Sally J. Priest9Corinne Larrue10Kristina Ek11Environmental Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, The NetherlandsEnvironmental Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, The NetherlandsInstitute for Management Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the NetherlandsUtrecht Centre for Water, Oceans and Sustainability Law, Utrecht University School of Law, The NetherlandsInstitute for Agricultural and Forest Environment, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, PolandInstitute for Agricultural and Forest Environment, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, PolandUniversity of Antwerp (Belgium), Research Group Society & EnvironmentSweco Netherlands B.V., De Bilt, The NetherlandsEnvironmental Governance, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, The NetherlandsFlood Hazard Research Centre, Middlesex University, UKParis School of Planning, Lab'Urba, Paris Est University, FranceLuleå University of Technology, SwedenEuropean countries face increasing flood risks because of urbanization, increase of exposure and damage potential, and the effects of climate change. In literature and in practice, it is argued that a diversification of strategies for flood risk management (FRM), including flood risk prevention (through proactive spatial planning), flood defense, flood risk mitigation, flood preparation, and flood recovery, makes countries more flood resilient. Although this thesis is plausible, it should still be empirically scrutinized. We aim to do this. Drawing on existing literature we operationalize the notion of "flood resilience" into three capacities: capacity to resist; capacity to absorb and recover; and capacity to transform and adapt. Based on findings from the EU FP7 project STAR-FLOOD, we explore the degree of diversification of FRM strategies and related flood risk governance arrangements at the national level in Belgium, England, France, the Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden, as well as these countries' achievement in terms of the three capacities. We found that the Netherlands and to a lesser extent Belgium have a strong capacity to resist, France a strong capacity to absorb and recover, and especially England a high capacity to transform and adapt. Having a diverse portfolio of FRM strategies in place may be conducive to high achievements related to the capacities to absorb/recover and to transform and adapt. Hence, we conclude that diversification of FRM strategies contributes to resilience. However, the diversification thesis should be nuanced in the sense that there are different ways to be resilient. First, the three capacities imply different rationales and normative starting points for flood risk governance, the choice between which is inherently political. Second, we found trade-offs between the three capacities, e.g., being resistant seems to lower the possibility to be absorbent. Third, to explain countries' achievements in terms of resilience, the strategies' feasibility in specific physical circumstances and their fit in existing institutional contexts (appropriateness), as well as the establishment of links between strategies, through bridging mechanisms, have also been shown to be crucial factors. We provide much needed reflection on the implications of this diagnosis for governments, private parties, and citizens who want to increase flood resilience.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss4/art52/Belgiumcapacity to absorb and recovercapacity to resistcapacity to transform and adaptcomparisondiversification of flood risk management strategiesEnglandEuropeevaluationflood risk governanceFrancethe NetherlandsPolandresilienceSweden |
| spellingShingle | Dries L. T. Hegger Peter P. J. Driessen Mark Wiering Helena F. M. W. van Rijswick Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz Piotr Matczak Ann Crabbé G. Tom. Raadgever Marloes H. N. Bakker Sally J. Priest Corinne Larrue Kristina Ek Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward? Ecology and Society Belgium capacity to absorb and recover capacity to resist capacity to transform and adapt comparison diversification of flood risk management strategies England Europe evaluation flood risk governance France the Netherlands Poland resilience Sweden |
| title | Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward? |
| title_full | Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward? |
| title_fullStr | Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward? |
| title_short | Toward more flood resilience: Is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward? |
| title_sort | toward more flood resilience is a diversification of flood risk management strategies the way forward |
| topic | Belgium capacity to absorb and recover capacity to resist capacity to transform and adapt comparison diversification of flood risk management strategies England Europe evaluation flood risk governance France the Netherlands Poland resilience Sweden |
| url | http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol21/iss4/art52/ |
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