Coastal Flood Risk Management: Towards Increased Integration and Resilience Seminar

Flooding is the most damaging natural hazard in the United Kingdom today. Coastal flood risk management aims to reduce the impacts of coastal flooding through adaptation measures including spatial planning, engineering and insurance. Yet these measures are seldom assessed collectively. This research analyses how each of the approaches defines flood risk and investigates the challenges of adapting to coastal flood risk in the UK.

By studying these spatial planning, engineering and insurance approaches together, we see that although each approach alone may only address one dimension flood risk, collectively they manage all aspects to some extent. Nonetheless, the three approaches are legislated and regulated in relative isolation, and in their current formation have contrary implications for existing and future developments.

This talk highlights the contemporary levels of resilience of coastal flood risk management in the UK to environmental and social uncertainties, and suggests where further research and integration may be appropriate.