Dealing with flood damages: will prevention, mitigation and ex-post compensation provide for a resilient triangle?

Suykens, Cathy, Priest, Sally J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2304-1502, Van Doorn-Hoekveld, Willemijn J., Thuillier, Thomas and Van Rijswick, Marleen (2016) Dealing with flood damages: will prevention, mitigation and ex-post compensation provide for a resilient triangle? Ecology and Society, 21 (4) , 1. ISSN 1708-3087 [Article] (doi:10.5751/ES-08592-210401)

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Abstract

There is a wealth of literature on the design of ex-post compensation mechanisms for natural disasters. However, more research needs to be done on the manner in which these mechanisms could steer citizens toward adopting individual level preventive and protection measures in the face of flood risks. This paper provides a comparative legal analysis of the financial compensation mechanisms following floods, be it through insurance, public funds or a combination of both, with an empirical focus on Belgium, the Netherlands, England and France. Similarities and differences between the methods in which these compensation mechanisms for flood damages enhance resilience are analyzed. The comparative analysis especially focuses on the link between the recovery strategy on the one hand and prevention and mitigation strategies on the other. There is great potential within the recovery strategy for promoting preventive action, for example in terms of discouraging citizens from living in high-risk areas, or encouraging the uptake of mitigation measures, such as adaptive building. However, this large potential is yet to be realized, in part due to insufficient consideration and promotion of these connections within existing legal frameworks. Recommendations are made about how the linkages between strategies can be further improved. These recommendations relate to, amongst others, the promotion of resilient reinstatement through recovery mechanisms and the removal of legal barriers preventing the establishment of link-inducing measures.

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