january 2006

24-01-2006
World Water Forum 4 & Europe

With the purpose of facilitating the organization of the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico, March 16-22, 2006, the world has been divided into five regions, of which Europe is one.

Among other activities, as an input to the 4th World Water Forum, the European Region will produce a useful, very readable document describing key European water challenges and sharing potential solutions. The objectives of this document are to share lessons learned from both successes and failures in European water management, create awareness of both current and emerging water challenges in Europe, identify gaps in knowledge and areas where greater investment is needed and highlight opportunities for cooperation among organizations and governments across Europe.

The European Regional Committee has decided to focus on five themes for the 4th Forum. The European input (documents, sessions and local actions) for the 4th World Water Forum will all have a spearhead on several themes, among which risk management. Within this theme also project Safecoast is mentioned. Find the draft document and more information on the website of the 4th World Water Forum European Region



19-01-2006
European Commission comes with proposal Flood risk directive


18 January, The European Commission proposed a directive to help Member States prevent and limit floods, and their damaging effects on human health, the environment, infrastructure and property. Since 1998 floods in Europe have caused some 700 deaths, the displacement of about half a million people and at least €25 billion in insured economic losses. The new directive will require Member States to carry out preliminary assessments to identify the river basins and associated coastal areas at risk of flooding. Such zones then will be subject to flood risk maps and flood risk management plans. These plans will focus on prevention, protection and preparedness.

The proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the assessment and management of floods is now online available here.



11-01-2006
US officials learning from Dutch flood defence systems

A delegation of fifty Louisiana officials from the national, state and local levels will meet with Dutch officials over the course of three days to discuss and see the Netherlands’ water management and flood control technology.

Organized under the theme “Louisiana and the Netherlands: A Friendship Forged by Water,” the visit will feature detailed seminars and policy briefings from Dutch experts in water management, bilateral meetings with senior Dutch officials and site visits to several well-known barriers and gates that prevent flooding.

Today, January 11, the American guests are visiting the Dutch Delta Works (see also our links page).
Sources: The Star, Newsday.com, Netherlands Embassy, Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management



02-01-2006
Flood risk across Europe subsides
People have began returning home as water levels from heavy river flooding in central and eastern Europe, which claimed about 43 lives, begin to drop.

In the Swiss capital, Bern, and the nearby Oberland region, more than 1,000 residents were allowed back, although water and electricity were still cut.

Vital roads and train routes linking the north of Switzerland to the south were also reopened.

Communities across the region face a massive clean-up operation.

"The flood risk has receded, but there is an awful lot of clearing up to do," said Bern police spokesman Franz Maerki.

Insurers say the economic cost of the flood in Switzerland alone could be 1bn Swiss Francs (640m euros; £440m; $800m).  Read more here.

Source: BBC