February 2024
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This conference discussed key priorities for flood and coastal erosion risk mitigation.
It was a timely opportunity to examine next steps for flooding and coastal erosion management, including the overhaul of national flood risk mapping scheduled in 2024 as part of the National Assessment of Flood Risk.
Key stakeholders and policymakers assessed latest thinking on strategies for mitigating risk, protecting communities, improving resilience and developing long-term prevention initiatives. They also looked at latest developments in the application of artificial intelligence in flood planning and mitigation.
Further sessions examined policy, including alternative approaches, as well as assessing priorities for strategy and funding in the context of:
- the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy Roadmap to 2026 and Investment plan for 2021 to 2027
- the Natural Flood Management Programme
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with: Steven Tupper, Deputy Director, Surface Water and Pipeline Planning, Environment Agency; Louise Webb, Principal Adviser, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management, Natural England; Keith Davis, Director, DEFRA VFM, National Audit Office; Professor Jim Hall, Commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission; and Professor of Climate and Environmental Risks, University of Oxford; and Dr Linda Speight, Departmental Lecturer in Physical Geography, University of Oxford.
Overall, areas for discussion included:
- Policy: mitigating risk - strategy and delivery of flooding and coastal erosion impact mitigation in England - industry and wider stakeholder roles, priorities and responsibilities
- Strategy: assessing the progress of the FCERM Strategy Roadmap so far - next steps for implementation
- Prevention: latest thinking on strategies to minimise risk - infrastructure development for improving resilience, planning, and flood and erosion defences
- Risk assessment: improving risk assessment across the country, in local communities, and as projects are designed and developed
- Mapping: next steps for overhauling the national flood mapping system - developing nationally consistent information - data on impacts of climate change at a local level
- Artificial Intelligence: discussing the role of AI in analysing data to support forecasting, hazard mapping, early warnings and flood resilience planning
- Funding and innovation: assessing the Government’s innovation funding programmes for improving resilience - priorities for R&D of early warnings and enhancing protective mechanisms
- Insurance: considering next steps for consumers and insurance companies to protect against flood damage in homes and vehicles
- Nature-based solutions: developments and best practice in innovative nature-based strategies to combat the impact of climate change on flood and costal erosion
- Infrastructure: assessing the national infrastructure framework - next steps for building and developing resilient infrastructure - identifying vulnerable, high-risk sites
- Supply challenges: overcoming flood impact on the farming sector - ensuring a resilient agricultural supply chain
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from CCC; DAERA, NI; DBT; Defra; Department for Infrastructure, NI; DESNZ; DfE; DfT; DLUHC; EA; Homes England; MoD; NIC; OBR; OEP; ONS; Planning Inspectorate; UKIB; and the Welsh Government, as well as parliamentary pass-holders from both Houses of Parliament.
