NTAG 23/9/04: Progress Report from SFM Sub-Group

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NTAG 23/9/04: Progress Report NTAG 23/9/04: Progress Report from SFM Sub-Group from SFM Sub-Group

NTAG2004(35) Paper: Sub-Group tasked with:

• Defining sustainable flood management• Developing a set of objectives and principles

(Output is presented in Annex B) To support this work, the Sub-Group has also given

consideration to:• Measuring progress against the objectives &

principles through the use of indicators

(Output is presented in Annex C & D)

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SFM Sub-Group Outputs SFM Sub-Group Outputs

Definition

Objectives

Principles

• Overall• Social• Environmental• Economic• Future Generations

1. Scope2. Policy3. Responsibilities4. Decision-making5. Uncertainty6. Resources7. Options8. Environment9. Multiple Benefits10. Openness11. Democracy12. Simplicity

Measurement Indicators

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SFM Sub-Group : the journey so SFM Sub-Group : the journey so far ...far ...

Development of draft SFM definition, objectives and principles 17th June SNH seminar discussed “What is Sustainable Flood

Management?” Language and content of definition, objectives & principles

modified in light of seminar feedback Work on detailed meanings of objectives and principles Ideas for ‘valid’ and ‘measurable’ indicators (with reference to

SE Sustainability Framework, Defra/EA guidance, and international best practice)

Paper NTAG2004(35) is key output of this process

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The SFM Sub-Group The SFM Sub-Group

recommends that NTAG...recommends that NTAG... Agrees the definition of SFM (para 5) today Agrees one overall objective and a further 4 equal

objectives (para 7 of Annex B) today Agrees 12 principles (para 8 of Annex B) today;

and Members offer corporate feedback on the detailed

meaning of the objectives (para 13 of Annex D) by 31 October for a further draft.

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Proposed (Final) Definition Proposed (Final) Definition [NTAG2004(35) para 5][NTAG2004(35) para 5]

“Sustainable flood management provides the maximum possible social and economic resilience* against flooding, by protecting and working with the environment, in a way which is fair and affordable both now and in the future.”

(* ‘resilience’ means: ‘able to recover quickly and easily’. The Executive uses it to deliver the ‘four As’: Awareness + Avoidance + Alleviation + Assistance.)

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Purpose of Objectives & Purpose of Objectives & PrinciplesPrinciples The SFM Definition, objectives and principles are intended for all

stakeholders

Objectives[Annex B para. 6] … objectives, which will: act as a long-term vision, which can also encourage interactive learning and

education on flood risk management; etc …

Principles [para. 8] … set out how the objectives might be delivered. Most of them include elements within the current LA’s duties and

responsibilities, but: in accordance with the long-term vision of the objectives they include wider

issues - to encourage learning and education. Key issue for future development of Guidance for practitioners is to translate

the principles into clear practical guidelines.

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Draft objectives for SFMDraft objectives for SFM

[Annex B para 7][Annex B para 7] Overall objective:

• Meet needs for resilience against flooding.

To meet this overall objective, the following needs must be balanced:

• Social – enhance community benefit, with fair outcomes for everyone;• Environmental – protect and work with the environment, with respect for all

species, habitats and landscapes;• Economic – deliver resilience at affordable cost (construction, maintenance,

running and renewal); with fair economic outcomes and the protection of local jobs and wealth;

• Future generations – allow for future uncertainty (the ‘precautionary principle’), with a fair balance between meeting present needs and those of future generations.

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Draft Principles for SFM Draft Principles for SFM

[Annex B para 8][Annex B para 8] [Scope] This framework of definition, objectives and principles for

sustainable flood management (SFM), and the measurement indicators attached, apply equally to all types of flooding: surface, sewer, river, estuarine and coastal.

[Policy] SFM should reflect a strategic approach both nationally and locally, with phasing if appropriate. It should incorporate the WFD principles of integrated management for all water bodies, and planned ‘control at source’ (ie. prevention of risk) through the use of SPP7 planning controls.

[Responsibilities] All stakeholders share responsibility for achieving SFM. They are expected to collaborate constructively to meet SFM objectives, with the lead taken by the appropriate party(ies) according to their statutory, legal, common law or commercial role(s).

[Decision-making] Sustainability issues should be considered from the earliest stages of investigating options. A whole-life (construction, maintenance, running and renewal) view of the costs and benefits is essential, each option requiring an assessment of sustainability. Decision-making tools will include, but not be limited to, Cost Benefit Analysis and should make the ‘values’ applied explicit.

[Uncertainty] A long-term view of sustainability means taking account of future uncertainties, including climate and societal change. It also requires explicit consideration of the implications of flood events that exceed design limits.

[Resources] Resources should be used sustainably.

[Options] All possible options for flood management should be considered including, through to full evaluation, at least one option that represents a ‘most sustainable benchmark’, addressing all four ‘A’s: Awareness, Avoidance, Alleviation and Assistance, even if regulatory or legal barriers appear to block implementation.


[Annex B para 8][Annex B para 8]

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[Environment] Biodiversity and landscapes should be protected and enhanced (wherever possible) and negative impacts avoided.

[Multiple Benefits] SFM should seek opportunities for multiple benefits wherever possible, and seek other relevant funding sources.

[Openness] The whole SFM process should be transparent; and there should be a common, shared source of information, which all stakeholders can access and learn from.

[Democracy] Implementation of SFM should maximise community engagement. Decisions should be taken at the local level, as far as possible, and reflect local community ‘Agenda 21’ or similar sustainability objectives.

[Simplicity] Implementation of SFM should be understandable, and should aim for ease of delivery, with self-correcting and learning behaviour, and sharing of knowledge.


[Annex B para 8][Annex B para 8]

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Detailed Meanings and Measuring Detailed Meanings and Measuring Performance of Objectives Performance of Objectives [Annex [Annex

D]D] Objectives 2, 3, & 5 each have two components; Objective 4 has three components

10 tables presented in Annex D with the following headings for each objective:• Detailed meaning• Measurement Indicators - ideas for proposal level• National Scale Measure - overall measure of progress• (notes from Sub-Group members)

The intended audience for the “Definition & Objectives” is all stakeholders - not only as guidance for practitioners - and so ...

Detailed meanings are proposed to clarify what facts we need to know about any SFM proposals to effectively assess progress against objectives or compliance with principles (i.e. to tell us what we would really need to measure) [validity].

Agreement of the detailed meanings will enable the ideas on measurement indicators to be progressed [measurement].

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Detailed Meanings of Objectives Detailed Meanings of Objectives

Objective 1 Objective 1 [Annex D][Annex D] Objective 1:

• Overall - Meet needs for resilience against flooding.

Detailed Meaning:• Reduce the total sum of flooding impacts over time, to an agreed

level.

• Specifically:(i) Personal social impact (death and injury, evacuation, shock, and

distress);

(ii) Potential damage to property;

(iii) Personal (travel) interruptions; and

(iv) Lost production and sales.

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Objective 2 Objective 2 [Annex D][Annex D] Objective 2(a):

• Social: Enhance community benefit with fair outcomes for everyone.

Detailed Meaning:(i) Benefits from physical improvements to the urban and rural

environment,

(ii) The increase in community responsibility and self-help generated (e.g. the ‘Boscastle effect’ but pre-flooding).

The challenge is to establish an indicator that can effectively capture the diversity of ‘social capital’ in perceived benefits and individual responses.

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Objective 2 Objective 2 [Annex D][Annex D] Objective 2(b):

• Social: Enhance community benefit with fair outcomes for everyone.

Detailed Meaning:• This requires that:

(i) All those at risk have appropriate access to the benefits of SFM (reduced impacts); and

(ii) Payment (whether by Local Authority tax, direct flood-proofing, insurance, etc.) by those at risk should be in proportion to the level of benefits they receive.

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• Environment - protect and work with the environment with respect for all species, habitats and landscapes

Detailed Meaning:• The individual elements are to:

(i) Protect the water environment (quality and quantity); and

(ii) Minimise emissions of greenhouse gases

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• Environment - protect and work with the environment with respect for all species, habitats and landscapes

Detailed Meaning:• This includes:

(i) Delivering Biodiversity Plan targets,

(ii) Protecting and/or improving water courses, ecological habitats and landscapes (geomorphology)

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• Economic - deliver resilience at affordable cost (construction, maintenance, running and renewal), with fair economic outcomes, and the protection of local jobs and wealth

Detailed Meaning:• Deliver SFM for lowest whole life cost of alleviation

(capital costs, operation & maintenance, replacement, individual response funding and compensation), plus awareness, avoidance, and assistance costs.

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Detailed Meaning:• Note: Nature causes flooding; human infrastructure and intervention

causes its negative impacts [it is difficult to identify flood ‘causers’]

• This requires:(i) A statement of the main causes of the flood impacts, which are

to be reduced;

(ii) A statement of who pays the costs; and

(iii) A comparison and judgement on ‘fairness’

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Objective 4 Objective 4 [Annex D][Annex D] Objective 4(c):


Detailed Meaning:• This includes:

(i) the impact on jobs protected, and

(ii) wealth generated for local community.

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• Future - Allow for future uncertainty (the ‘precautionary principle’) with a fair balance between meeting present needs and those of future generations

Detailed Meaning:• This needs to take account of:

(i) Allowance for increased rainfall (as a result of climate change)

(ii) Allowance for increased or decreased catchment response (i.e. change in the run-off coefficient

(iii) ‘Headroom’ potential, as the net result of both

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• Future - Allow for future uncertainty (the ‘precautionary principle’) with a fair balance between meeting present needs and those of future generations

Detailed Meaning:• This must take account of:

(i) Flood plain capacity for flood response - in terms of storage capacity and channel capacity

(ii) Future affordability of continuing resilience

(iii) Fail safe provision for design flood exceedence

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Recommended Next Steps ...Recommended Next Steps ...

Following feedback from members, produce a further draft of the indicators for comment

Seek detailed comments on definition, objectives & principles, indicators from other stakeholders

Prepare paper by Executive for public consultation Members consider how this work might be piloted Members consider how to take forward findings of

Systems Dynamics research.

NTAG 23/9/04: Progress Report from SFM Sub-Group

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