ENSURING A COMPETITIVE EDGE: DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT, PREVENTION AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH

Jean-Claude EUDE, Director GeneralLoire River Basin Authority (Établissement public Loire)

FLOOD RISKS MANAGEMENT ON THE LOIRE RIVER BASIN:

THE “3D” PRINCIPLE

• A tool for solidarity and subsidiarity at river basin level – with a focus on economies of scale.

• Interventions ranging from hydraulics matters (flood prevention, water resource management) to local development.

• Not to mention support granted to research/development/innovation projects.

• It also owns and operates two large dams: Naussac & Villerest.

The Loire River Basin Authority, a public institution gathering 50 regional and local authorities

QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE LOIRE RIVER BASIN

The Loire river isthe longest river in mainland France.

Its river basin area drainsa fifth of the country.

SCIENCE-BASED RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGYENHANCED SYNERGIES BETWEEN POLICY-MAKERS AND RESEARCH COMMUNITIES

Adaptation of the Loire River Basin to the Impacts of Climate ChangeIdentification as a national pilot site (by the Ministry for sustainable development, in 2007) has opened the way to this initiative managed by the Loire River Basin Authority.

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Central concern:Reducing vulnerability to floods and droughts

SCIENCE-BASED RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGYDESIGN OF PROGRAMS INTEGRATING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES SUCH AS BEHAVIORAL INSIGHTS

A lot of our policy models traditionaly are based on a rather naïveunderstanding of what drives behavior. But if you have a moreintelligent, nuanced account of how people make decisions, you candesign policy that is more effective, less costly, and makes life easierfor most citizens.

David Halpern, Director of the UK Behavioural Insights Team Public Policy Toolkit

Traditional tools

MAJOR CHANGES IN THE SCOPE OF INTERVENTION

• Growing attention paid to long-term drivers such as climate change, revealing the river basin vulnerabilities to flood risks.

• Increased importance attached to the prevention of flood risks, with more and more people looking further than just flood protection.

• Transition from a purely hydraulic focus (hydraulic engineering works) to reducing vulnerability to flooding, in particular for businesses and housing.

Flood Defence Villerest Dam

November 2008

INTEGRATED FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENTMULTILEVEL IMPLEMENTATION OF FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN(S)

« COMPREHENSIVE » RIVER BASIN ACTION PLAN FOR REDUCING BUSINESSES’VULNERABILITY TO FLOODING

REINFORCED PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

INTEGRATED FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT

RIVER BASIN « PORTFOLIO » OF SUPPORT ACTIONS DESIGNED FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO

FOSTER TERRITORIAL RESILIENCE

• ACTIVITY CONTINUATION PLANSDESIGNED BY LOCAL, PROVINCIAL AND REGIONAL AUTHORITIES,CONCENTRATING ON CRUCIAL PUBLIC SERVICES FOR WHICH THEY ARERESPONSIBLE

• “LOCAL” FLOOD DEFENCE SYSTEMSWITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION PAID BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO THEABILITY TO FORESEE, TO HANDLE AND TO COMMUNICATE POSSIBLEFAILURE

• “LOCAL” FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT PLANSAIMING AT REDUCING THE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES OF FLOODS, BUILDING ON STRONG PARTICIPATORY PROCESSES AND ADDRESSING ALL ASPECTS FROM RISK PREVENTION TO FLOOD RECOVERY

INTEGRATED FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENTMULTILEVEL IMPLEMENTATION OF FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN(S)

• EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANSDESIGNED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES WITH A FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENTOF A RISK CULTURE, RELIABLE FORECASTS, WARNING SYSTEMS ANDEVACUATION PLANS

THE LOIRE RIVER BASIN: AN OECD CASE STUDY

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Adopt a strategic approach vis-à-vis the assessment and management of flood risk

Strengthen cooperation between actors throughout the basin and risk managers

Make better uses of technological potential and enhance research efforts

Develop synergies between the public and private sectors

Inform and involve stakeholders and the general public

See you soon along the Loire River ! www.eptb-loire.fr

OECD case study dedicated to the Loire river basin flood vulnerability reduction strategy, together with the means and tools to implement it. Particular attention is paid to economic activities.