Website experience degraded
The European Climate and Health Observatory is undergoing reconstruction until June 2024 to improve its performance. We apologise for any possible disturbance to the content and functionality of the platform.
This object has been archived because its content is outdated. You can still access it as legacy

Flooding

 

In Europe, the natural hazards that cause the highest economic losses are flooding and storms. In warmer climates that intensify the water cycle, projections show a further increase in the risk of river floods in many western European and central eastern European areas. Urban drainage flooding is also expected, particularly in western and northern Europe, and so are coastal floods. Flood risks in a city can be strongly impacted by factors outside the city boundaries, such as upstream river management
Multiple factors influence the exposure to floods, the sensitivity to them and the response capacity (table). The following maps depict some of these factors, and provide some indication of the situation (in green). They need to be interpreted as a whole, together with the other factors still requiring local or qualitative information.

Factors that tend to increase the vulnerability to flooding by rivers, sea or heavy rain fall…

Response

Exposure

Sensitivity

High share of low-lying urban areas, potentially prone to flooding

High share of low-income households - socio-economic status

Decreasing soil sealing

High and increasing degree of soil sealing

High share of vulnerable people

Increasing the share of green urban areas

Lack of green urban areas

High share assets (commercial, residential areas) in potentially flood prone areas

Commitment to fight climate change - awarenes of and trust in the city governance

Increase of frequency and intensity of heavy precipitation

Key services like transport and energy infrastructure in potentially flood prone areas

Trust in other people

Increase of frequency and level of river floods

High population number in potentially flood prone are

Education

Sea level rise in combination with storm surges

High share of very young population

Socio-economic status - financial resources

Geographical location (at coasts or rivers) and topography (low-lying)

High share of lonely pensioners households

 Awareness of business and citizens

Snowmelt

...

Well-functioning institutional structures and processes

High soil moisture levels

 

Sufficient capacities in administration to act

...

 

Availability of flood defences and retention areas

 

 

Effective sewage system