Flood Recovery, Innovation and Response II

Book excerpt: One-third of the annual natural disasters and economic losses, and more than half of the associated victims are flood related. A burgeoning global population and growing wealth, particularly in the last two or three decades, have increased the risk and the demand for flood protection. These features, together with climate change predictions and urban development, are affecting the way flood risk is managed. Knowledge and scientific tools play a role of paramount importance in the strain of coping with flooding problems, along with capacity building in the context of political and administrative frameworks. Therefore, governments need to establish clear institutional, financial and social mechanisms and processes for flood risk management in order to ensure the safety of people and property and, thereby, contribute to flood defence, prevention and recovery. This volume contains papers presented at the second International Conference on Flood Recovery, Innovation and Response. The conference provides a forum for researchers, academics and practitioners actively involved in improving and interchanging knowledge and expertise in a wide range of technical and management issues related to flooding and its devastating effects. The scientific topics presented at the conference on Flood Recovery Innovation and Response 2010 included: Flood Risk Analysis; Flood Risk Management; Urban Flood Management; Flood Forecasting; Risk Assessment and Decision Making; Flood Case Studies; Community Resilience to Flooding.