Gilissen, HK, Alexander, M orcid.org/0000-0003-3147-085X, Beyers, JC et al. (4 more authors) (2016) Bridges over troubled waters: an interdisciplinary framework for evaluating the interconnectedness within fragmented domestic flood risk management systems. Journal of Water Law, 25 (1). ISSN 1478-5277
Abstract
Diversification of strategies in Flood Risk Management (FRM) is widely regarded as a necessary step forward in terms of lessening the likelihood and magnitude of flooding, as well as minimizing the exposure of people and property, and in turn the disruption, economic damage, health impacts and other adverse consequences that ensue when floods occur. Thus, diversification is often heralded as an essential condition for enhancing societal resilience to flooding. However, an inevitable consequence of diversifying strategies and practices in FRM is that it can lead to fragmentation within FRM systems, in terms of the distribution of responsibilities between actors and governing rules enacted within different policy domains. This can prove detrimental to the effectiveness of FRM. Building upon the notion of fragmentation developed in legal and governance literature, this paper introduces the concept of ‘bridging mechanisms’, i.e. instruments that remedy fragmentation by enhancing interconnectedness between relevant actors through information transfer, coordination and cooperation. This paper develops a typology of both fragmentation and bridging mechanisms and analyses their relations, partly drawing upon empirical research conducted within the EU ‘STAR-FLOOD’ project. In turn, this paper outlines a novel interdisciplinary methodological framework for evaluating the degree and quality of the interconnectedness within fragmented domestic FRM systems. A pragmatic, flexible and broadly applicable tool, this framework is both suited for academic purposes, as well as for practically oriented analysis and (re)development of fragmented FRM systems, and potentially other fragmented systems, within the EU and abroad.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | This is the author-produced PDF of an article, accepted for publication in Journal of Water Law, following peer review. The Version of Record is available in Gilissen, HK, Alexander, M , Beyers, JC et al. (2016) Bridges over troubled waters: an interdisciplinary framework for evaluating the interconnectedness within fragmented domestic flood risk management systems. Journal of Water Law, 25 (1). ISSN 1478-5277. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. |
Keywords: | Bridging mechanisms; Cooperation; Coordination; Diversification; Evaluation framework; Flood risk management; Fragmentation; Interconnectedness; Information transfer; Societal resilience |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 23 Nov 2016 16:07 |
Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2018 00:38 |
Published Version: | http://www.lawtext.com/lawtextweb/default.jsp?Page... |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Lawtext Publications |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:108073 |