Alpine water – Pathway 3
by alpineclimate2050.org
(published on alpineclimate2050.org)

Implementation of an alpine-wide approach for mainstreaming climate change into transboundary water management.

Basic information
Alpine specific character
Alpine water systems are strongly interlinked so that extreme rainfall events can lead to cumulative risks and a common approach to dealing with these risks is necessary.

Background and description of the pathway
Changing precipitation patterns, especially extreme rainfall events, in combination with changes in snow run-off will lead to changes in flood risk in the Alps. In many regions more frequent and more severe floods risk to cause increasing damage and growing economic losses if no – or the wrong – adaptation measures are taken. Flood hazard zones are likely to extend in many places, while at the same time ongoing expansion of settlements and cumulating economic values increase the damage potential independently of climate change.

As the Alpine water system is extremely interlinked and many river systems are transboundary, a coordinated flood risk management which avoids upstream-downstream conflicts needs to be implemented, prioritising as much as possible “nature-based solutions” or “soft” adaptation measures (e.g., “passive flood protection” by means of spatial planning and natural retention areas vs. river engineering and structural protection measures, as well as proper forest management). The advantage in nature-based solutions lies in their flexibility towards different kinds of disaster (different water flow or precipitation patterns, floods as well as droughts).

Nature-based solutions however are only effective if even selective measures are planned in a coordinated way. Therefore transboundary cooperation is crucial.

Knowledge on regional natural risks and information on self-empowerment shall be used and spread.

Sequence of implementation steps
Step 1a: Dissemination of recommendations for green(er) infrastructure (2021-2025)

For instance the document “Green infrastructure solutions for an integrated and sustainable water management – Recommendations and good practices”, adopted by EUSALP in 2019, already compiles good practice examples from Alpine countries and highlights recommendations for different types of rivers, with a specific focus on the dilemma of climate change adaptation needs and spatial pressure in the Alps.

This document, as well as further already existing recommendations, can be adapted for use under the Alpine Convention and disseminated by integrating it into the agendas of different regional workshops already happening in the Alps.

Step 1b: Application of recommendations for specific model cases (2021-2025)
Ongoing planning processes for flood management on Alpine rivers will be identified, and discussions started on how those could take into account the recommendations (see Step 1a).

At the same time, better coordination of planning activities in all countries of transboundary rivers are promoted by ACB members and respective representatives of the Alpine Convention Contracting Parties.

Step 1c: Enhance better cooperation between countries on transboundary rivers (2021-2025)
At the same time, better coordination of planning activities in all countries of transboundary rivers is promoted by ACB members and respective representatives of the Alpine Convention Contracting Parties.

This allows for a larger planning frame on the spatial level, and therefore enhanced effectiveness of the individual measures.

Step 2: Extension of early warning system on floods (2025-2030)
Floods are one of the most common natural hazards in the Alps. In cooperation with the pathway “IP_NH1: Implementation of an Alpine-wide risk management plan on natural hazards”, it will be checked how flood prevention measures can be integrated in the early warning system.

Further Information
Stakeholders needed for implementation
– Public authorities (flood risk management, water management, forest management, civil protection, spatial planning, nature conservation) at local, regional and national level
– Municipalities
– Involvement of local and regional citizens (risk governance approaches).

Final output
– Recommendations on flood risk management in the Alps with a focus on green/ecosystem-based solutions are disseminated
– Enhanced transboundary coordination for flood management and exchange of experiences in the Alps.

Indicators for monitoring this pathway
– Increased awareness for nature-based solutions at national, regional and local level
– Number of flood management plans the recommendations are applied to
– Number of transboundary rivers with increased coordination of the flood management planning.

Starting point and link to stock-taking
– RSA7: Natural Hazards Risk Governance
– Alpine Strategy for the adaptation to climate change in the field of natural hazards
– Guidelines on local adaptation to climate change for water management and natural hazards in the Alps
– EUSALP AG6 Green infrastructure solutions for an integrated and sustainable water management. Recommendations and good practices
– Project SPARE – Strategic Planning for Alpine River Ecosystems (Alpine Space Programme)
– Project AdaptAlp – Adaptation to climate change in the Alpine Space (Alpine Space Programme)
– Project CLISP – Climate Change Adaptation by Spatial Planning in the Alpine Space (Alpine Space Programme)
– Compliance with the Flood Directive
– Considering the Flood Risk Management Plans of the EU Member States.

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