Enhancing urban flood resilience - a case study for policy implementation

Climate change, urbanisation and ageing infrastructure are major challenges to the water sector, community and environment. The effects of these challenges are increasing surface runoff and insufficient drainage capacities, resulting in flooding, pollution and degradation of ecological and biological systems. Compared with traditional flood defence-oriented approaches, the concept of resilience enhances overall community capacity with regard to risk management through hazard and vulnerability assessment, and implementation of technical and non-technical adaptation measures. Fredrikstad, like many municipalities in Norway, faces significant water-related challenges; however, unlike many other municipalities, Fredrikstad has taken proactive action by introducing stormwater management into urban planning and development, guiding public and private sectors and end users to take integrated stormwater management measures through the implementation of a municipal master plan (2008-2028). This paper presents a multilevel approach to enhance municipal flood resilience from strategies to practices. The Fredrikstad case study could provide examples of political implementation and recommendations for other municipalities in Norway and worldwide for adaptation to climate change and urbanisation.