TY - JOUR
T1 - Policy delivery gaps in the land-based flood risk management in China
T2 - A wider partnership is needed
AU - Du, Shiqiang
AU - Shen, Ju
AU - Fang, Jian
AU - Fang, Jiayi
AU - Liu, Wei
AU - Wen, Jiahong
AU - Huang, Xiaoxuan
AU - Chen, Sixin
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - Land resources can accommodate extra floodwaters, thus playing an important role in integrated flood risk management (FRM). However, potential conflicts emerge as the lands that are used as temporal room for floodwaters are also home to human beings, which is common in the flood detention zones (FDZs) in China. To date, little is known about how Chinese policies address the conflicts and how local stakeholders perceive the policies. This paper aims to address this research gap using a case study of the FDZs in the middle Huaihe River, China. A mixed method is applied including an official document survey, a multi-layer interview (15 respondents), and questionnaires (123 respondents). We find that three major strategies are employed to enhance the flood detention function and reduce flood risk inside the FDZs: 1) returning parts of the FDZs to rivers; 2) flood-adaptive farming; and 3) reducing population density via a massive relocation. However, the local residents have a low engagement willingness, which are associated with a poor perception of the policies and a lack of short-term economic attractiveness. Policy delivery gaps thus exist. Information sharing should be enhanced to encourage public participation. A public-private partnership involving more social and financial resources, particularly including the downstream beneficiaries, could help to increase the policy's economic feasibility. The findings can enrich a policy shift toward a more land-based FRM, particularly in developing countries.
AB - Land resources can accommodate extra floodwaters, thus playing an important role in integrated flood risk management (FRM). However, potential conflicts emerge as the lands that are used as temporal room for floodwaters are also home to human beings, which is common in the flood detention zones (FDZs) in China. To date, little is known about how Chinese policies address the conflicts and how local stakeholders perceive the policies. This paper aims to address this research gap using a case study of the FDZs in the middle Huaihe River, China. A mixed method is applied including an official document survey, a multi-layer interview (15 respondents), and questionnaires (123 respondents). We find that three major strategies are employed to enhance the flood detention function and reduce flood risk inside the FDZs: 1) returning parts of the FDZs to rivers; 2) flood-adaptive farming; and 3) reducing population density via a massive relocation. However, the local residents have a low engagement willingness, which are associated with a poor perception of the policies and a lack of short-term economic attractiveness. Policy delivery gaps thus exist. Information sharing should be enhanced to encourage public participation. A public-private partnership involving more social and financial resources, particularly including the downstream beneficiaries, could help to increase the policy's economic feasibility. The findings can enrich a policy shift toward a more land-based FRM, particularly in developing countries.
KW - Flood
KW - Flood detention zone
KW - Land use
KW - Nature-based solutions
KW - Plain restoration
KW - Risk migration
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U2 - 10.1016/j.envsci.2020.11.005
DO - 10.1016/j.envsci.2020.11.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85097419031
VL - 116
SP - 128
EP - 135
JO - Environmental Science & Policy
JF - Environmental Science & Policy
SN - 1462-9011
ER -