Climate change adjustments in engineering design standards: European perspective

Abstract

The European Commission Flood Risk Directive review shows that while many nations have embraced the concepts of flood risk management, there is still quite more to do in delineating risk–cost-effective measures and developing cost estimates and financing of those measures. Not mentioned are the necessary changes to existing design standards and protocols which will have to change in order to properly encompass climate change and variability, with associated uncertainties. Adjustments in engineering design standards and changes in hazards are examined, based on trend detection in observational records and projections for the future. Issues of urban and transport (motorways and railways) drainage design are also examined. Furthermore, risk reduction strategies are discussed. Finally, a way of accounting for non-stationarity in determining design precipitation and design floods is tackled. Climate change adjustments in engineering design standards, such as design precipitation and design floods, are reviewed via examples from Europe. HIGHLIGHTS Intense precipitation and high river flows have been changing and will change, even if trend detection may not yet consistently show a ubiquitous, and statistically significant, change.; European nations have embraced the concepts of flood risk management in line with the common Floods Directive, yet existing design standards have to change in order to properly encompass climate change and variability, with associated uncertainties.; It is necessary to prepare for the existing climate variability, but this is not likely to be sufficient for the future. Current water management practices may be inadequate to reduce the adverse impacts of climate change.; There is a clear gap between results of scientific studies and needs of practitioners in the domain of climate change adjustments in engineering design. Scientific results are publishable but not necessarily actionable. Both science and practice should try to improve the interface.;

Keywords

• adaptation
• climate change
• climate variability
• design flood
• europe