Resistance-based strategies for flood risk management (FRM), based on controlling flood via structural infrastructure, laws and regulations, have been increasingly challenged in the last 20 years. Instead of seeking to remove the threat and to minimize societal and economic losses, new approaches embrace uncertainty and put emphasis on adaptation instead of control. Such resilience-based approaches address the need to absorb water and recover from floods and focus on the potential of societal systems to transform in response to stressors. There is emerging evidence that a diversification of flood risk management strategies addressing flood risk prevention through pro-active spatial planning, flood defence, flood mitigation, flood preparation and flood recovery contributes to more flood resilience.

Dr. Piotr Matczak
Dr. Dries L. T. Hegger
Guest Editors

Keywords: flood risk governance, resilience, stakeholders engagement, policy transition, flood risk reduction measures