Integrated flood risk management in Sweden – How to achieve it?

With existing and increasing developments as well as future projected increase in rainfall and extreme climates, urban areas are under growing pressure to coexist with large water flows. What is needed in Swedish flood risk management to cope and adapt to these challenges? In parallel to the increasing flood risk there is a need to integrate with goals for sustainable development, such as efforts to reduce nutrient loads in rivers and watercourses. The seminar aims to bring together different actors who have a part to play in integrated flood risk management to share their view on how to best address the current situation.

Chair for the seminar: Dr Jakob Granit, Deputy Director Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)

Presentations will be available on the SWH/SIWI website afterwards.

A policy brief will be written with the recommendations coming from the seminar

The seminar is free of charge and will be held in English. Coffee, fruit and a simple lunch (sandwich) will be provided.

Follow the seminar on Twitter: #swefloodrisk

Related links (in Swedish):

• http://www.smhi.se/nyhetsarkiv/skyfall-har-blivit-vanligare-1.23063
• http://www.smhi.se/forskning/haftigare-skyfall-i-framtida-klimat-1.32213

Venue : Svenska Läkaresällskapet
Venue address: Klara Östra Kyrkogata 10, Stockholm

Programme

08.45-09.00: Registration

09.00-09.05: Welcome by Mr Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director, SIWI

09.10-09.20: Background of the seminar, the cluster group of DRR and Water, and practical announcements, Ms Åse Johannessen, Research Fellow, SEI and cluster group lead

Session 1: The governance framework for water and flood risk management

09.20-09.40: Keynote ? Integrated flood management, Mr Johan Kling, The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (HaV)

09.50-10.10: Implementation of the flood directive and preparing for extreme events, Ms Barbro Näslund Landemark, Flood expert and contact person for the EU Flood directive implementation in Sweden, The Swedish Civil Contingency Agency (MSB)

10.15-10.30: Coffee and sandwich

10.30-10.50: Existing Swedish hydro modeling tools to meet the flood risks, and comparison with the EU tools, Mr Niclas Hjerdt, SMHI

11.00-11.20: Legal perspectives on flood protection management, Professor Lennart de Maré, Chairman of Committee for water issues, The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA)

11.30-12.00: Discussion led by Chair: What are the gaps and possible synergies between the Water Framework Directive and Flood Directive?

12.00-13.00 Lunch (sandwich, juice and coffee)

Session 2: International and stakeholder user case perspectives

13.00-13.30: The Netherlands experience and programme Room for the River, Mr Ingwer de Boer, Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu – Making the case for “the Living with floods approach”

13.35-13.55: Perspectives from
the municipalities on the water, waste water and stormwater and link to landscape drainage, Mr Hans Bäckman, Swedish Water Association

14.00-14.20: Urban experiences, green infrastructure and socio-economic analysis of flooding (including UK experience of flood management), Ms Anna Dahlman Petri, Director WSP Group
From 14.00 Fruit and water is provided

14.25-14.45: Perspectives from agriculture: Flood risks, sustainable land use and drainage, and the need for facilitating a local dialogue, Mr Rune Hallgren, The Federation of Swedish Farmers (LRF)

Session 3: What have we learnt and actions forward

14.45-15.20: Panel & discussion with the participants

Facilitation: Åse Johannessen
Previous speakers and Mr Anders Pålsson, Rescue service, Kristianstad municipality, Mr Giacomo Teruggi Associated Programme on Flood Management, World Meteorological Organization (who will also briefly mention the helpdesk function they provide).

15.20-15.30: Wrap up by Chair