Commissioned in 2002, the Foresight Project on Flood and Coastal Defence addressed a number of issues surrounding how the flood risk might change and how Government and the private sector might best respond to the future challenges. The report that emerged had several key messages for Government – flood risk would continue to rise to unacceptable levels; those risks had to be tackled on a broad front; and, hard choices would have to be
made regarding where to direct investment. This work established a new paradigm for futures work and, with the issues of flooding and flood prevention continuing to be in the headlines world wide, it rightly continues to command widespread interest.
Future flooding and coastal erosion risks is edited by three of the team who undertook the original Foresight study and elaborates on the work undertaken by approximately 60 leading experts in the field, offering a detailed record of the science and engineering research performed during the Foresight Project on Flood and Coastal Defence. This book highlights the benefits of taking a long term and far sighted approach to flood risk management in a changing world.
Clearly the work begun with the Foresight Flooding project has not ended but will continue in the coming years and decades, both in the UK and overseas. The issues covered by the Foresight study are likely to assume increasing importance as we enter an era of climate change, economic growth and societal evolution. Thus Future flooding and coastal erosion risks will therefore be a valuable resource to scientists, engineers and a wide range of stakeholders who share a common concern for flood risk management and an interest in evidence based policy making. ISBN 978-0-7277-3449-5