OECD Environment Working Papers

Abstract

Unclassified OECD ENVIRONMENT WORKING PAPERS OECD Working Papers should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its member countries. The opinions expressed and arguments employed are those of the author(s). Working Papers describe preliminary results or research in progress by the author(s) and are published to stimulate discussion on a broad range of issues on which the OECD works. This series is designed to make available to a wider readership selected studies on environmental issues prepared for use within the OECD. Authorship is usually collective, but principal author(s) are named. The papers are generally available only in their original language-English or French-with a summary in the other language.

Exploring the Inadequacy of Pertinent Capacities for Urban Flood Risk Management in the Developing Countries

“…The pressure of urbanization increases the peak and reduces the time of peak. Source: USEPA (1983) Approximately 7 million urban residents in the People's Republic of China are presently exposed to urban flooding of coastal origin while about US$ 250 billion worth of assets are at risk in the Netherlands (Nicholls et al, 2008). India, Japan and Nigeria are examples of countries in the DCs having many cities each with more than a million people residing.…”

“…India, Japan and Nigeria are examples of countries in the DCs having many cities each with more than a million people residing. Although the present population in Dhaka city of Bangladesh exposed to urban flooding of coastal origin is nearly a million, more than 11 million people will be exposed by 2070 (Nicholls et al, 2008). These statistics give a cross sectional idea of the potential risk of urban flooding.…”

Cost benefit analysis and the environment

“…Ecosystem assessments "provide the connection between environmental issues and people, considering both the ecosystems from which services are derived and the people who depend on and are affected by changes in the supply of services" (Ash et al, 2010). In the review of NEAs actually carried out in the UK, Spain, Portugal and Japan, Wilson et al (2014) note the diversity of approaches and degree of coverage. The UK made a major attempt to value the services currently provided in monetary terms, as well as making an estimate for some services of what is likely to be provided in the future under different policy scenarios.…”

“…Furthermore the UK NEA had some impact by allowing for the immediate uptake of the evidence base that it provided. This also enabled the work of the UK NEA to be exposed to policy makers directly, thereby creating the opportunity to influence policy and has led to support for further strengthening ESS valuation in the UK (Wilson et al, 2014). …”

“…Yet one is still a long way from having comprehensive coverage at the national level of the values of ESS, particularly marginal values associated with changes in policy (Wilson et al, 2014).…”