Experts from across the country have met in Wales (15 March 2012) to discuss how flood risk management policies could help minimise the effect of flooding across the country: contrasting with the drought issues currently facing other parts of the UK.
The tenth national flooding conference “Learning to Live with Flooding”, held in Cardiff and organised by
ICE Wales Cymru will bring together representatives from across the UK and Ireland to share experiences and hear a keynote speech from John Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development.
The Minister said: "Last year we launched our National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management which sets out four overarching objectives for the management of flood and coastal erosion risks across Wales. It also clarifies the roles and responsibilities for the risk management authorities in Wales, and it is important that we all continue to work together to address those risks in a holistic way.
"Of course, one of the first steps in managing risk is to understand it. Local authorities are now preparing their local flood risk management strategies, building on the information set out within their preliminary flood risk assessments. Coastal authorities are finalising our Shoreline Management Plans, and the Environment Agency will shortly publish their coastal erosion maps for England and Wales."
Keith Jones, Director ICE Wales Cymru said “There needs to be a shift in emphasis. It is important to change the way the flood risk is dealt with as well as change public attitudes towards flooding. Wales must continue to adopt new approaches to manage the risk of flooding and put flood risk management at the heart of our communities.
“The shift away from the unsustainable ‘defend at all costs’ approach must be reinforced,” he added.
The challenges of flood risk management in the 21st Century and how to meet them will be a feature of the event. Lessons learned from both the Queensland floods in Australia and the recent floods in Dublin will be shared. Local flood mitigation schemes in Wales and a scheme in England will be looked at. Flood forecasting and safety, vehicle mobility and emergency service responses in extreme flood events will also be discussed.
Experts from Cardiff University, Environment Agency Wales, Flood Forecasting Centre, Chief Fire Officer’s Association (Wales), Welsh Local Government Association, Arup, Dublin City Council, Shropshire Council, the Welsh Government, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, and coastal and flood risk management engineers Martin Wright Associates will all present at the conference.
The conference has been organised by ICE Wales Cymru in conjunction with Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and Cardiff University and sponsored by Martin Wright Associates, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Welsh Government and Environment Agency Wales.
photo: ICE Wales Cymru Chairman Ian Davies listens to John Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development answer questions from delegates at the conference.