A global framework for future costs and benefits of river-flood protection in urban areas

This paper presents a framework for assessing the costs and benefits of structural flood protection measures in urban areas around the world. It demonstrates its use under different assumptions of current and future climate change and socio-economic development. Under these assumptions, investments in dykes may be economically attractive for reducing risk in large parts of the world, but not everywhere. In some regions, economically efficient investments could reduce future flood risk below today’s levels, in spite of climate change and economic growth. It also demonstrates the sensitivity of the results to different assumptions and parameters. The framework can be used to identify regions where river-flood protection investments should be prioritized, or where other risk-reducing strategies should be emphasized.