Regional : Strengthening Integrated Flood Risk Management

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Land-based natural resources management - Rural flood protection - Rural water policy, institutional and capacity development - Water-based natural resources management

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban flood protection - Urban policy, institutional and capacity development

The technical assistance aims to strengthen the design and implementation of Integrated Flood Risk Management (IFRM) solutions, enhancing knowledge and application of IFRM strategies in DMCs. The TA will provide targeted technical support for program and project preparation and promote more holistic IFRM solutions, including basin-scale and nature-based solutions.

It is composed of 3 outputs: (1) knowledge to implement IFRM projects enhanced; (2) evaluations of DMC flood risk management and investment strategies conducted; and (3) IFRM concepts integrated into ADB investments.

The Asia Pacific region faces increasing risks from water-related disasters such as floods, droughts and storms. In 2016 alone, Asia reported losses worth $87 billion from disasters of which many are flood-related. Increasingly frequent and severe floods have caused significant loss of life and damage due to rapid economic growth and urbanization along rivers and coastal areas.

Flood mitigation civil works have been the primary focus of flood risk management with an emphasis on evacuating flood water as quickly as possible or storing it temporarily. However, it is increasingly recognized that piecemeal approaches are not the best flood risk management solutions since they can create inequalities, contribute to ecological degradation, and may be inflexible.

A more comprehensive and integrated approach, taking a basin-wide or catchment perspective that may include nature-based and other soft approaches to maximize net benefits from the use of flood plains is rapidly gaining acceptance among flood management professionals. Such approach incorporates social, economic, financial, environmental, legal and institutional aspects, as well as engineering and emergency response requirements.

Flood Risks and Impacts in selected DMCs Reduced

Use of innovative integrated flood risk management (IFRM) solutions increased

Knowledge to implement IFRM projects enhanced

Evaluations of DMC flood risk management and and investment strategies conducted

IFRM concepts integrated into ADB investments

Knowledge to mainstream climate change and climate resilience enhanced

Output 1: Knowledge to implement integrated flood risk management projects enhanced. Eight technical notes have been drafted and the first Practical Guide to IFRM is being finalized. In-country engagement activities and the first IFRM workshop were conducted, attended by 108 participants of whom 43% are women. Of those surveyed, 100% of participants indicated willingness to adopt innovative IFRM in their respective agencies.

Output 2: Evaluations of developing member country flood risk management and investment strategies conducted. Preliminary sector analysis work has been completed for all eight DMCs. One detailed sector assessment (Nepal) has been produced and analytical work has begun in six DMCs. Preliminary considerations of interventions have been concluded for all eight DMCs while detailed work has begun in India, Indonesia, and Nepal.

Output 3: Integrated flood risk management concepts integrated into Asian Development Bank investments. Five projects have been assisted as follows (i) Loan 3394-India: Climate Adaptation in Vennar Subbasin in Cauvery Delta Project; (ii) Loan, Grant and TA 52195-001-Nepal: Priority River Basins Flood Risk Management Project; (iii) Loan 54097-001-Pakistan: Proposed Sindh Coastal Resilience Project; (iv) Loan 53275-001-Viet Nam: Climate Adaptive Integrated Flood Risk Management Project and (v) Loan and TA 51294-Philippines: Integrated Flood Risk Management Sector Project.

Output 4: Knowledge to mainstream climate change and climate resilience enhanced. Steps have been taken to initiate the development of the knowledge product.