Climate change adjustments in engineering design standards: European perspective

Abstract

The European Commission Flood Risk Directive review shows that while many nations have embraced the concepts of flood risk management, there is still quite more to do in delineating risk-cost-effective measures and developing cost estimates and financing of those measures. Not mentioned are the necessary changes to existing design standards and protocols which will have to change in order to properly encompass climate change and variability, with associated uncertainties. Adjustments in engineering design standards and changes in hazards are examined, based on trend detection in observational records and projections for the future. Issues of urban and transport (motorways and railways) drainage design are also examined. Furthermore, risk reduction strategies are discussed. Finally, a way of accounting for non-stationarity in determining design precipitation and design floods is tackled. Climate change adjustments in engineering design standards, such as design precipitation and design floods, are reviewed via examples from Europe.