Fair and square? The role of recognition in promoting fair and resilient flood risk management in Flanders and internationally

Abstract:Throughout Europe, climate change and urbanisation are increasing flood risks. While Flanders has mostly experienced small-scale flooding so far, future climate scenarios suggest that large events – such as the July 2021 floods in Wallonia – are also possible here. Physical interventions in the water system through dikes and flood retention areas play an important role in managing these rising flood risks. But the social dimension of flood risk management (FRM) is often overlooked. This is problematic, as floods do not affect everyone equally. Some groups are more vulnerable to the impacts of flooding, either due to their location (e.g., proximity to rivers or the coast) or their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics – such as low-income households, older adults, or those with low-quality homes. This is referred to as social vulnerability to flooding in this PhD research. Based on policy analysis and expert interviews in Flanders, including cross-country comparisons with England, Finland, and France, this study explored (1) to what extent social vulnerability is recognised and addressed in FRM, (2) how expert knowledge shapes the levels of recognition, and (3) how broader societal trends influence recognition of social vulnerability. The findings show that social vulnerability is rarely a central concern outside of emergency planning and crisis management for flooding. Recognition justice appears to depend heavily on the FRM expert’s disciplinary background and knowledge base, shaping how professionals understand and prioritise social vulnerability in policy and practice. Furthermore, trends such as individualising governance, neoliberalism, and the shift of responsibility to citizens in FRM risk reinforcing vulnerability and deepening inequality, as vulnerable groups may not be able to bear that burden. Recognition is essential to strengthen fairness in FRM, because without acknowledging people’s differing needs and perspectives, they remain unprotected and more vulnerable to future flooding. This research calls for greater attention to who is vulnerable and why, better use of existing social data, and policy integration and interdisciplinary collaboration to develop more just and resilient FRM.

Publication year:2025

Keywords:Politics

Accessibility:Open