WP1. Communication and Uncertainty
Communication between information providers and end-users (including relevant stakeholders and local communities) is often ineffective and one way.
Aims
- To facilitate co-production of knowledge and increase two-way communication with respect to model processes, outputs and uncertainties between;
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- the Consortium research team
- academics, consultants and other technical specialists and practitioners/stakeholders who make decisions based at least in part on model outcomes, and
- communities at risk of flooding whose lives and livelihoods are affected by decisions that depend at least in part on the outcomes of urban flood inundation models
- To develop and test a framework for identifying the key uncertainties and barriers to delivering Blue-Green infrastructure
Communication outputs
Newcastle Learning and Action Alliance (LAA)
The Newcastle LAA was established in February 2014and brought together Newcastle stakeholders (local authority, EA, Northumbrian Water, major landowners, academics, local interest groups) to create a joint understanding of flood and water management problems and possible solutions based on rational criticism and discussion. The success of the LAA has led to opportunities for Newcastle that may not have occurred otherwise, particularly discussions around using Blue-Green infrastructure to meet multiple objectives for different organisations and departments, e.g. to manage surface water while creating biodiversity corridors, improving health and wellbeing, air and water quality and city aesthetics. Read more about the Newcastle LAA.
Uncertainty outputs
Research in Portland, Oregon USA, has identified two types of uncertainty that limit the implementation of Blue-Green infrastructure;
- scientific uncertainty related to physical processes that affect future infrastructure performance and service provision, and
- socio-political uncertainty stemming from lack of confidence in the social structures, public preferences and political support. See Thorne et al., (2015) for more details.
Research in Newcastle, UK, investigated strategies to overcome these uncertainties and found that most interview respondents thought that promoting multifunctional space, assessing (monetising) the multiple benefits, improving education and awareness, and greater partnership working would be key to overcome the barriers.
External communication
The WP1 team comprised Leonard Smith (Centre for the Analysis of Time Series, CATS, London School of Economics (LSE)), Jessica Lamond (Centre for Floods, Communities and Resilience, CFCR, University of the West of England, UWE), and Colin Thorne and Emily O'Donnell (University of Nottingham).