In 2024, Europe was marked by a series of devastating floods, Spain to the Czech Republic. These disasters, exacerbated by climate change, underline the urgency ofadopt appropriate resilience strategies.
Multiple risks for Europe
The flood management represents a major challenge because they do not all manifest themselves in the same way. A Europe, three types The main sources of flooding are frequent: fluvial, pluvial and coastal. Each of these categories results from specific phenomena and requires distinct strategies to be effectively mastered.
THE river flooding occur when heavy precipitation, such as intense rain or melting snow, lead to excessive runoff into waterways. When the volume of water exceeds the capacity of rivers, they overflow and flood downstream areas. These floods are particularly frequent in mountainous regions, like in Valencia, where steep slopes accelerate the flow of water, thus worsening their impact.
THE rain floods, as for them, arise when Heavy local rains saturate the soil, preventing water from infiltrating. In rural areas, fields quickly become flooded, while in urban areas, lack of effective drainage can lead to flash flooding during severe weather. This type of flooding is particularly problematic in winter, when the soils, already saturated with water, can no longer absorb additional precipitation.
THE Coastal flooding usually results from storms that cause sea level rise, phenomenon known as “surcharge”. It can also cause rivers to back up and overflow, flooding coastal lands. These events are most common in winter, when weather conditions are most extreme. The impacts on coastal regions can be considerable, causing significant material and environmental damage.
Moreovercombined floods are the most complex to manage, because they result from several simultaneous flooding processes. For example, last winter the lower Rhine basin was affected by river, rain and coastal floods occurring at the same time. These phenomena saturated the fields, seriously affecting agriculture for several months. These events illustrate the complexity of flood risk management and the importance of appropriate preparation for various types of natural disasters.
The Netherlands, masters of adaptation
In the Netherlands, a large part of the population and around two thirds of economic activity are exposed to the risk of submersion or flooding, mainly because 26% of the territory is below sea level. Faced with this reality, the Dutch had no choice but to develop unique expertise in water management.
An emblematic example is the program Room for the River. Rather than limiting themselves to continually raising the dikes to contain the water, the Dutch opted for an innovative approach: collaborate with nature by restoring natural floodplains.
During the floods of July 2021, the Netherlands demonstrated the effectiveness of this program. While the floods of the Meuse River devastated villages upstream, Dutch infrastructure has resisted, limiting damage and protecting communities.
Another symbol of their success is the Maeslantkeringa gigantic barrier built to block ocean storms. Used for the first time in 2024 against an exceptional rise in water levels, it illustrates to what extent the Netherlands is prepared for the most extreme scenarios.
Models applicable on a European scale?
So that theEurope can follow this example, of the significant investments are essential. As a priority, it is fundamental to strengthen systems early warning. In 2024, the residents of Valencia were unfortunately not informed early enough to take adequate action.
This lack of warning worsened the impact of the floods. Raising public awareness of the importance of alerts is essential to saving lives. Responsible citizenship, combined with modern and adapted infrastructure, constitutes one of the keys to good flood risk management.
Also, investing in hybrid solutions is essential to strengthen resilience to floods. The combination of robust infrastructure, such as dikes and dams, with natural solutions, such as afforestation or the renaturation of agricultural land, makes it possible to better absorb water and effectively reduce risks.
The European directive on flooding recommends a integrated management at the watershed scale, combining structural and natural solutions. For example, afforestation upstream reduces runoff, while the construction of dikes and the restoration of floodplains downstream protect against flooding.
Costs of inaction
Certainly, these measures require significant resources. However, the human and financial cost of poorly managed floods is much higher. The 2024 floods caused considerable deathsand showed how local economies can be paralyzed for monthswith saturated fields, reduced harvests and food security at risk.
By giving up short-term solutions,Europe can adopt a proactive and sustainable approach. The Netherlands shows that it is not only possible, but essential to innovate by collaborating with nature.
Article reference:
Three ways to reduce Europ’s flood risk
