International examples of private funding for flood defences

A quick scoping review that combined literature searches with interviews to gather international examples of private financing of flood defence infrastructure.

From:
Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
24 February 2021
Category:
Policy, governance and funding
Topics:
Community participation, Flood costs, Flood risk governance, Investment, Partnership working, Whole life costs
Project status:
Completed
Project code:
WT1562 (Project 11)
Date of completion:
31 March 2018

Documents

International non-governmental funding of FCERM projects: evidence review - final report (879 KB) PDF

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Details

This project explored the topic of privately-financed flood defences by gathering 58 academic papers, and nine case studies gathered from interviews. This included representatives of key international organisations in:

  • the USA
  • Europe
  • Australia
  • Japan
  • Malaysia
  • Canada

Outcome

It found only limited evidence of private financing and funding of flood defences. This was typically due to the presupposition that flood defences are a public good and therefore within the remit of central, regional and local governments. The most widespread involvement of private funding in flood risk management schemes was found in the USA. This is where schemes have typically been developed at the county or coastal zone scale.

The final report outlines the results of the quick scoping review, covering:

  • the evidence found
  • the summaries of direct contacts with flooding professionals
  • a synthesis and grouping of that evidence
  • the conclusions on what the evidence shows

This project is part of a larger programme of work that started in 2014 and was completed in 2018 at a cost of £22,430.

Published 24 February 2021