Adaptation to flood risk: Results of international paired flood event studies

Heidi Kreibich; Giuliano Di Baldassarre; Sergiy Vorogushyn; Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts; Heiko Apel; Giuseppe T. Aronica; Karsten Arnbjerg-Nielsen; Laurens M. Bouwer; Philip Bubeck; Tommaso Caloiero; Do T. Chinh; Maria Cortes; Animesh K. Gain; Vincenzo Giampa; Christian Kuhlicke; ZbigniewW Kundzewicz; Maria Carmen Llasat; Johanna Mard; Piotr Matczak; Maurizio Mazzoleni; Daniela Molinari; Nguyen V. Dung; Olga Petrucci; Kai Schroeter; Kymo Slager; Annegret H. Thieken; Philip J. Ward; Bruno Merz

doi:10.1002/2017EF000606

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Adaptation to flood risk: Results of international paired flood event studies

Journal article

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Adaptation to flood risk: Results of international paired flood event studies

Heidi Kreibich, Giuliano Di Baldassarre, Sergiy Vorogushyn, Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts, Heiko Apel, Giuseppe T. Aronica, Karsten Arnbjerg-Nielsen, Laurens M. Bouwer, Philip Bubeck, Tommaso Caloiero, …

Earth's future, Vol.5(10), pp.953-965

2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/2017EF000606

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Abstract

Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Geology

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

Physical Sciences

Science & Technology

As flood impacts are increasing in large parts of the world, understanding the primary drivers of changes in risk is essential for effective adaptation. To gain more knowledge on the basis of empirical case studies, we analyze eight paired floods, that is, consecutive flood events that occurred in the same region, with the second flood causing significantly lower damage. These success stories of risk reduction were selected across different socioeconomic and hydro-climatic contexts. The potential of societies to adapt is uncovered by describing triggered societal changes, as well as formal measures and spontaneous processes that reduced flood risk. This novel approach has the potential to build the basis for an international data collection and analysis effort to better understand and attribute changes in risk due to hydrological extremes in the framework of the IAHSs Panta Rhei initiative. Across all case studies, we find that lower damage caused by the second event was mainly due to significant reductions in vulnerability, for example, via raised risk awareness, preparedness, and improvements of organizational emergency management. Thus, vulnerability reduction plays an essential role for successful adaptation. Our work shows that there is a high potential to adapt, but there remains the challenge to stimulate measures that reduce vulnerability and risk in periods in which extreme events do not occur.

Details

Title: Adaptation to flood risk: Results of international paired flood event studies
Authors/Creators: Heidi Kreibich (Author) - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences
Giuliano Di Baldassarre (Author) - Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science
Sergiy Vorogushyn (Author) - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences
Jeroen C. J. H. Aerts (Author) - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Heiko Apel (Author) - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences
Giuseppe T. Aronica (Author) - University of Messina
Karsten Arnbjerg-Nielsen (Author) - Technical University of Denmark
Laurens M. Bouwer (Author) - Deltares
Philip Bubeck (Author) - University of Potsdam
Tommaso Caloiero (Author) - CNR‐ISAFOM National Research Council Institute for Agricultural and Forest Systems in the Mediterranean Rende Italy
Do T. Chinh (Author) - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences
Maria Cortes (Author) - Universitat de Barcelona
Animesh K. Gain (Author) - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences
Vincenzo Giampa (Author) - Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection
Christian Kuhlicke (Author) - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
ZbigniewW Kundzewicz (Author) - Polish Acad Sci, Inst Agr & Forest Environm, Poznan, Poland
Maria Carmen Llasat (Author) - Universitat de Barcelona
Johanna Mard (Author) - Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science
Piotr Matczak (Author) - Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
Maurizio Mazzoleni (Author) - IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Daniela Molinari - Politecnico di Milano
Nguyen V. Dung - GFZ German Res Ctr Geosci, Sect Hydrol 5 4, Potsdam, Germany
Olga Petrucci - Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection
Kai Schroeter - GFZ German Res Ctr Geosci, Sect Hydrol 5 4, Potsdam, Germany
Kymo Slager - Deltares
Annegret H. Thieken - University of Potsdam
Philip J. Ward - University of Amsterdam
Bruno Merz - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences
Publication Details: Earth's future, Vol.5(10), pp.953-965
Publisher: Amer Geophysical Union
Number of pages: 13
Identifiers: 991005560450507891
Copyright: © 2017 The Authors.
Murdoch Affiliation: Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and Sustainability; Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems; School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 6 Social Sciences; 6.153 Climate Change; 6.153.558 Climate Change Adaptation
Web Of Science research areas: Environmental Sciences; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
ESI research areas: Environment/Ecology