London is cited as an example of a city which has developed an
effective adaptation strategy to address future flood risk. Although
London is currently protected to a high standard by the Thames Barrier
and associated flood defenses, this standard is declining as sea level
rises, and walls and embankments near the end of their design life. At
the same time, London is growing in an eastward direction along the
Thames Estuary floodplain. The Thames Estuary 2100 study was carried
out to determine the appropriate level of flood protection needed for
London and the Thames Estuary for the next 100 years. The TE2100 report
identified a series of adaptation pathways which identified thresholds
at which various flood risk management measures fail to provide an
acceptable level of protection, and the trigger points where a different
approach to managing flood risk will be required in response to a higher
sea level rise. However, lessons to be learned lie not only in the
Thames Barrier, but also in the policy framework that surrounds it. All
of the adaptation pathways identified in the TE2100 report lead to
decisions about the level of protection rather than reducing exposure or
vulnerability. This talk wll explore the policy aspects of flood
adaptation and how government policy and insurance can provide
incentives to reduce flood risk.
Diane Horn received a BA from the College of William and Mary, a MSc from West Chester University, and a DPhil from the University of Oxford. She is currently Reader in Coastal Geomorphology in the Department of Geography and Environment at Birkbeck College, University of London. One aspect of her research focuses on beach processes, particularly with reference to mixed sand and gravel beaches and the swash zone and beach groundwater. A second area of research focuses on adaptation to the impacts of sea level rise, particularly the role of flood insurance and planning policy in risk reduction.
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