Exploring the barriers to flood management that can adapt to uncertain change

The study looked at how to build adaptability into decisions about flood risk management and the potential barriers, including economic appraisal.

Documents

The appraisal of adaptation options in flood and coastal erosion risk management - research project final report (57 KB) PDF

The appraisal of adaptation options in flood and coastal erosion risk management - supplementary information for final project report (43 KB) PDF

The appraisal of adaptation options in flood and coastal erosion risk management - research and development technical report (1 MB) PDF

The appraisal of adaptation options in flood and coastal erosion risk management - technical summary (44 KB) PDF

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email: defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This research explores the challenges and barriers to actions that allow us to adapt to the uncertain effects of climate change, rather than trying to prevent them. It also identifies potential ways of overcoming those barriers.

Adaptability is about being flexible and making it possible for strategies and schemes to evolve. Change and uncertainty arise from many sources, of which climate change is an important one.

This research used interviews with a range of stakeholders. It included a stakeholder workshop, a technical review and case studies to find the barriers to more adaptable responses. In particular it examined whether the current system for economic appraisal creates bias away from adaptation actions.

This project was started in 2008 and completed in 2010 at a cost of £128,110.

Updates to this page

Published 18 February 2021