Building Flood Resilience in a Changing Climate: Insights from the United States, England and Germany

Based on a major Geneva Association study on flood risk management in mature economies, this report gives an overview of the current systems in the United States, England and Germany. It finds that the need to build resilience to floods is recognised as a priority in all three countries but that the approach often remains reactive, rather than anticipatory, in reality. It also offers recommendations for governments, insurers, businesses and households to improve flood risk management systems in light of the changing risk landscape.

Specifically, this report offers a comprehensive review of Flood risk management (FRM) in the three high-income countries with mature insurance markets. Special attention is given to mapping the evolution of governance, institutional frameworks and the interplay of different components of FRM, including risk assessment, risk communication and awareness, risk reduction, risk prevention, risk financing, risk transfer (e.g. insurance and alternative risk transfer) and reconstruction measures. Trends and patterns are explored and key findings and recommendations for stakeholders aiming to improve FRM systems in any country are provided.