Open AccessThe role of local stakeholder participation in flood defence decisions in the United Kingdom and Germany
Author(s) -
Begg C.,
Callsen I.,
Kuhlicke C.,
Kelman I.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of flood risk management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.049
H-Index - 36
ISSN - 1753-318X
DOI - 10.1111/jfr3.12305
Subject(s) - flood myth , stakeholder , flood risk management , environmental planning , stakeholder engagement , business , environmental resource management , flood mitigation , political science , public relations , geography , economics , archaeology
An important aspect of integrated flood risk management (FRM) around the world is accepted as being the involvement of a range of stakeholders in flood‐related decision‐making processes. Achieving local stakeholder participation in ways that lead to the expected benefits is burdened by challenges and difficulties. By drawing on examples of practices of local stakeholder participation in FRM in two European countries, the United Kingdom and Germany, this paper aims to understand the extent to which local stakeholders are able to influence FRM. Empirically, the paper focuses on flood defence planning and implementation‐related decisions as they still remain the dominant approach of managing flood risks in those locations. The findings from the two case studies show that involvement of local stakeholders in decisions related to flood defence schemes is limited and likely to lead to conflict and frustration as well as, potentially, a strengthening of inequalities. These lessons have implications for the United Kingdom and Germany as well as for other locations around the world.