The Australian Government and the State and Territory Governments need to adopted a set of compromise agreements on the proposal for a directive on the assessment and management of flood risks. In Europe a directive was proposed by the Commission in 2006 in order to prevent and limit floods and their damaging effects on human health, the environment, infrastructure and property. Since 1998, floods in Europe have caused some 700 deaths, the displacement of about half a million people and at least €25 billion in insured economic losses. All Australian States and Territories need to identify the river basins and associated coastal areas which are subject to flood risk. They will have to draw up flood risk maps and management plans for those zones. Areas where flood proof foundations for Flood Barriers need to be identified and constructed. A national system of flood mitigation needs to be implemented so that there is no cross border conflicts between shires, states and territories as to what system is being used, (unlike the rail networks) European Commissioner for the Environment Stavros Dimas said: "Flood risk and the associated economic damage are likely to increase in Europe in the coming decades. Even if we are successful in limiting global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, climate change will have serious impacts in Europe and elsewhere. The best way to reduce the costs of adapting to climate change is to take early action." A program adopted by Councils and Governments should require that Member States take a long-term planning approach to reducing flood risks in three stages: 1. Shires, States and Territories should by 2014 - 2015 undertake a preliminary flood risk assessment of their river basins and associated coastal zones. 2. Where real risks of flood damage exist, they must by 2015 develop flood hazard maps and flood risk maps. 3. Finally, by 2016 flood risk management plans must be drawn up for these zones. These plans are to include measures to reduce the probability of flooding and its potential consequences. They will address all phases of the flood risk management cycle but focus particularly on prevention (i.e. preventing damage caused by floods by avoiding construction of houses and industries in present and future flood-prone areas or by adapting future developments to the risk of flooding), protection (by taking measures to reduce the likelihood of floods and/or the impact of floods in a specific location such as restoring flood plains and wetlands) and preparedness (e.g. providing instructions to the public on what to do in the event of flooding). In the case of cross border river basins, Shires, States and Territories must coordinate so that problems are not passed on from one area to another. All stakeholders must be given the opportunity to participate actively in the development and updating of the flood risk management plans. Risk assessments, maps and plans must furthermore be made available to the public. These three steps are to be repeated in a six-year cycle to ensure that long-term developments are taken into account.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 00:42:41 +0000
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