Flood risk management : experiences from the Schelde Estuary case study

There is an increasing awareness that a valid flood risk assessment requires the involvement of the local public living in the area liable to flooding. Indeed, the new EU Flood Directive stipulates that all stakeholders must be given the opportunity to participate actively in the development and updating of flood risk management plans. Designing and achieving a satisfactory level of public participation, however, remains a challenge. Examples of good practice in participatory flood risk management are still scarce and theoretical guidance is developing slowly. One of the key problems concerns accessing and using different types of knowledge in discussions on flood risks between stakeholders, scientists and policy makers. Moreover, flood risk itself forms only one aspect of regional development plans and policies.