CRUE – The Way Forward Vicki Jackson Assistant Programme Manager, Flood Risk Science Presentation of research outcomes to Working Group on Floods, 22nd October 2008 Current priorities for CRUE include Joint funding activities – dissemination of the first call results and launching the second call Development of a European Research Agenda and Framework for future management Establishing an agreed post project co-operation agreement Exploring opportunities for a wider, water management ERA-Net 1

First CRUE Joint Funding initiative – Efficiency & Effectiveness of Non-Structural FRM Measures First call projects delivering reports by October 2008 CRUE team drafting a synthesis report by November to highlight salient policy points Lessons learned from first call actively implemented into second call, supported by FLOODrisk 2008 workshop on learning lessons from the 1st call. 2

Second CRUE Joint Funding initiative – Flood Resilient Communities – Managing Consequences - Launched in June 2008, involving 12 Partners from the CRUE Network, budget of 2 million Euros Focus on: Improving risk awareness and increasing public participation Flood event management Call closed on 15th October 2008, 27 proposals received and evaluation in process. Decisions to be made in January 2009, following same model as first call. Suite of evaluation questions, fit to national and european priorities key. 3

Developing a European Research Agenda Key goals: Common vision for FRM Define EU research needs Policy-responsive network of European funders & researchers Support implementation of the EU Floods Directive Emphasis on: Effective communication Maximising benefits of collaboration Establishing links to wider networks Feeding R&D back to policy development

CRUE European Research Agenda in detail Strategic Areas of Research: Adaptation and resilience to climate change, ensuring sustainable economic development Risk Assessment & Mapping Implementing trans-national based strategies on flood event management & recovery Meeting multiple demands on river basin management to achieve sustainable FRM Addressing public knowledge on flood risk & enhancing awareness, perception & communication Welcome opportunity to gather feedback from WGF – currently looking to establish more detailed research questions to form basis for future collaboration options. Steer on content/level of detail etc. would be helpful to the CRUE team to ensure we make the optimum impact through delivery and implementation of the CRUE RA.

Moving forward - continued collaboration Aim To sustain an independent network of FRM research funders to enable us to actively implement the CRUE Research Agenda and respond to emerging European policy needs Activities Share information using common infrastructure Tackle common challenges collectively via joint funding initiatives Support implementation of research to policy & practice Feed R&D outputs back into policy development Majority of Partners interested in continued collaboration and discussions re. various models well underway. Working on the premise that further funding for networking and co-ordination activities likely to be unavailable and align ourselves with the principles of joint programming (as recently published by the EC). May lose some Partners and need to think creatively on how best to maintain and develop wider involvement in the network into the future Activities to remain as defined under the FP6 project, essentially building on the work and experience gleaned to continue to provide support to European and National Policy development and implementation. Recognised that set of guiding principles need to be established and agreed by all Partners. Consultation on a post-project cooperation agreement commenced and to sit as a high level framework for taking the network forward. Flexibility to be built in to enable variety of future funding activities – responds to demand by CRUE Partners (and discussions with wider, related ERA-Nets) on the need for more flexible funding models to effectively tackle common problems. Principles Flexible framework for network coordination activities Range of funding mechanisms agreed to maximise potential for collaboration within/out with of CRUE

Moving forward - our wider network Further develop links between research, policy and practice Key goals: Collaborate more widely with other existing ERA-Nets and explore further funding opportunities Key goals: Deepen and widen the CRUE network CRUE recognised as a valuable network which is currently working well to deliver transnational research integration and evaluate optimal management and networking arrangements. Collective will to maintain, deepen and widen the CRUE network. Strong focus on establishing recognised and valued information exchange, effective dissemination and communication of research and suite of available mechanisms. Appetite to explore options for a wider water managmeent ERA-Net in the future and working with collegues in other ERA-Nets to try to establish scope for common infrastructure (web/database), mechanisms for co-ordination activities and linking research agendas to maximise opportunities from cross-cutting collaboration. Within this, potential to explore opportunities presented by the EC for both infrastructure and research funding.

Thank you http://www.crue-eranet.net info@crue-eranet.net vicki.jackson@environment-agency.gov.uk