Transboundary Cooperation on Flood and Drought Management

The initiators of the programme share the common understanding that rapid climate change is now a reality. Timely preparation of flood and drought management requires ongoing engagement between research, policy, and implementation practice. The urgency demands embedded approaches to research, that accompany massively scaled-up climate action.

To accelerate action, rather than developing more alternative instruments and measures, this programme aims to improve, extend, and integrate existing frameworks, concepts, models, and datasets. To acknowledge that preparation for extremes is not the sole issue, JCAR ATRACE is directing its knowledge development in close collaboration with policymakers and practitioners in the basins, considering the existing river basin development plans and existing transboundary cooperation platforms.

“As countries with dense networks of rivers and deltas, we share not only geographical features but also our susceptibility to the effects of extreme wather. And we must cooperate in order to protect ourselves, because our national borders present no obstacle to water” Mark Harbers, (former) minister of infrastructure and water management of the Netherlands

Guided by a thorough consultation with our research partners and review of official evaluations of the 2021 floods in Western Europe, the main objectives of this joint cooperation program are:

Better prepared:

Facilitate regional governments in Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in improving integrated planning, development and management of regional transboundary river basins, preparing for extreme climate events. 

Transboundary collaboration:

Foster long-term partnerships between European top knowledge institutes to enhance the knowledge base and inform flood and drought strategies in transboundary regional river basins. 

Our programme thrives on joint research activities in two pillars. In pillar 1 we execute Rapid Assessment Team Studies centred around urgent local and regional transboundary policy questions, aiming for delivering knowledge within timeframes of year. In pillar 2 we focus on long-term research, executed by 8 PhD students, focusing on policy-relevant applied research questions within the scope of our knowledge agenda. 

The key strengths of JCAR ATRACE are the cooperation between renowned research institutes and researchers with knowledge, presence and close contacts with competent authorities in the affected flood areas of 2021, a strong reputation due to transparant multi-langual communication and public relations, and a focus on applied and problem solving research based on knowledge needs regarding extreme flood and drought events from local to national governments and research. 

During this first phase (until 2028) we are actively exploring for further strengthening and sustaining the cooperation programme in future, in close communication and with strong support of the involved authorities and partners.

#WaterWiseEU campaign 

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