英格兰和威尔士的洪水风险管理策略

Flood risk management strategy for England and Wales

英格兰和威尔士处于洪水威胁之下的资产有220万处、人口约500万人。环境局是英格兰和威尔士负责减轻洪水风险的主要机构。该局于2003年10月印发了洪水风险管理策略计划,提出了由防御洪水向洪水管理转变的工作构架,强调必须优先考虑采用6项工作措施即更加富有成效的战略性举措、防范不合理的开发活动、对160亿英镑的防洪工程进行终身管理、更好地进行防洪综合管理(从公众水患意识、洪水预警到灾后重建与恢复)、提高沟通效果、改进商业运作的效率和成效等。尽管面临着最近所遭受的严重洪涝灾害,并预计在今后的80年洪水风险将增加2～20倍,上述防洪策略在朝着达到2007/08年度预期目标方面,正在取得良好的工作成效。使用新技术和信息系统在监控和反映减灾成效方面发挥着关键性的作用。英国1998年复活节大水和2000年秋季大洪水凸现洪水风险管理“以人为本”的特点。环境局投入巨大力量,力图为社会大众提供更多信息,以提高群众的风险意识,指导他们采取合理的行动,降低洪水灾害对民众可能产生的各种不利影响。

There are 2.2 million properties and about 5 million people at risk of flooding in England and Wales. The Environment Agency is the main organisation responsible for reducing flood risk across England and Wales. It published a flood risk strategy in October 2003. The strategy outlined the shift from defending against floods to managing flood risk. The six main priorities are adopting a strategic approach; preventing inappropriate development, adopting a whole life approach to managing ￡16 bn worth of assets; better integration of managing floods from public awareness and flood warning to aftercare and recovery; effective communications and improved business efficiency and effectiveness. It is making good progress towards meeting the targets by 2007/08 against a background of recent severe floods and predictions that flood risks will increase by between two and twenty times over the next 80 years. The use of new technology and information systems are key to monitoring and reporting performance and reducing flood risk. The major floods in the UK in Easter ＂98 and autumn 2000 highlighted that flood risk management was about people and the impacts floods have on their lives. The Environment Agency has invested in improving the information available to the public and making people aware of the risks and what actions they can take to reduce the impacts when they suffer from flooding.