Morning, Thursday, 14th May 2020
Central London
THIS EVENT IS CPD CERTIFIED
This seminar will discuss flooding and coastal erosion risk management policy - looking at:
- infrastructure resilience;
- flood mitigation and adaptation;
- the Flood Re insurance scheme; and
- future-proofing developments.
This conference will be an opportunity to consider:
The agenda
- Implementing the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England;
- Future-proofing critical infrastructure - the National Infrastructure Commission’s Resilience Study;
- Delivering the FCERM strategy for England - flood resilience infrastructure, land use, natural flood management and community engagement;
- Update on Flood Re - encouraging a ‘build back better’ approach, supporting resilience measures and next steps following the five yearly (Quinquennial) review;
- The future of land use management in flood risk areas - developing farmland flood resistance, planning sustainable developments and future proofing new housing developments; and
- Next steps for flooding resilience policy.
The details: areas for discussion at this conference
Implementing the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England
Delegates will discuss the implementation of the FCERM strategy - which sets out a new approach to flood and coastal resilience and priorities for dealing with increased risks of flooding and coastal erosion associated with climate change and population growth.
They will also assess innovations in the areas of resilience and recovery, including the use of natural flood management.
Further sessions will consider the challenges of meaningful community engagement in areas where existing flood measures are viewed as being unsustainable in the long term - and what more can be done to encourage communities to take steps to increase their flood resilience.
This discussion will take place following the announcement of:
- The Environment Agency’s Next Generation Supplier Arrangements - aiming to increase efficiency and improve the environmental legacy of its £2.6bn capital investment programme;
- Natural flood management techniques being piloted on the River Aire, at Eshton Beck and Marlfield Farm, as part of phase 2 of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme;
- Thirteen projects in Yorkshire, Cumbria, the North East and the South of England receiving £62m to help communities develop their flood defences; and
- Publication of the evidence review on community engagement on climate adaptation, as part of a wider research project looking at improving engagement for long term adaptation to flood and coastal erosion risk.
Increasing the resilience of infrastructure
This conference takes place following the publication of the National Infrastructure Commission’s scoping report on the resilience of the UK’s infrastructure, with the final report expected by spring 2020.
The agenda will assess how the UK can improve the resilience of its infrastructure and adapt to the increased risks associated with climate change, with the draft FCERM setting out the aim for all infrastructure to be flood resilient by 2050.
Further sessions will examine what more should be done to improve asset management - as well as the role of mobile technologies and analytics solutions in identifying flood defence assets which are at risk of failure or require emergency asset repair.
The future of flood insurance
Delegates will also discuss the next steps for Flood Re following the publication of the five yearly (Quinquennial) review in July 2019 - which set out plans to support more properties across the UK to be made resilient before flooding occurs.
They will have the opportunity to consider how insurers could be encouraged to adopt a ‘build back better’ approach to homes after a flood event, as well as the future scope and role of the Flood Re scheme.
Natural flood and land use management
We also expect discussion on the potential of natural flood management and discuss what more can be done to protect farmland.
It takes place in the context of:
- the announcement of a £2m Farming Recovery Fund to help farmers affected by flooding over the summer; and
- the revised National Planning Policy Framework, which sets out additional guidance for planning authorities on how to avoid inappropriate developments and creates new requirements for the use of measures that increase resilience.
Further sessions will also explore:
- how planning guidelines can be used to promote sustainable developments that reduce flooding risks;
- how best to assess the cumulative impact of developments on flood risk; and
- what more can be done to ensure that new developments are future-proofed to ensure flood resilience.
