“The effect of shock events on collaboration and framing in cross-border flood risk management: a case study of the effects of the 2021 floods on collaboration between the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany”
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2025-07-14
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en
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The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events globally expose structural vulnerabilities in existing cross-border governance frameworks. This study examines the 2021 floods in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium to explore how shock events affect collaboration in transboundary flood risk management and to identify factors that facilitate or hinder such cooperation. Qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, media analysis, and document analysis, were employed, with validity ensured through triangulation and a diverse set of respondents.
Findings indicate that existing institutions, such as the Meuse Commission and EMRIC, were insufficiently prepared for a cross-border crisis. National responses prevailed: the Netherlands primarily framed the floods as a natural disaster, Germany politicised the event, while Belgium regarded it as a governmental failure. Evaluations highlighted deficiencies in risk communication, warning systems, and spatial adaptation. Although the floods accelerated a discursive shift from complete prevention to “living with water,” institutional reforms largely remained nationally anchored. Legal barriers and limited resources, particularly in Belgium, further constrained transboundary cooperation.
This study concludes that the 2021 floods acted as a catalyst for rethinking adaptive flood governance but resulted in limited institutional change. Future research should address cross-border crisis mandates, citizen participation, and the outcomes of ongoing cooperation projects.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen