Guide to COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS of investment projects - Ramiri

3.2.3.2 Project identificationBasic data for the project: (for example):- geographical location of the intervention,- actual measures used for risk prevention,- forecasting and early warning systems.Technical and engineering features (for example):- location and surface of the involved area,- number of services in the area,- data about the population in the involved area,- natural or valuable cultural sites.MAIN FEATURES TO BE CHECKED AND ANALYSEDREGULATORY FRAMEWORKThe European Union has outlined a strategy to cope with the floods that have struck, even more seriously, many of the member countries, suchas Austria, France, Germany and Romania. This is the objective of Directive 2007/60/EC on the assessment and management of flood risks.The new directive has been carefully crafted for compatibility with the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). It applies to all types offloods whether they originate from rivers and lakes, or occur in urban and coastal areas, or arise as a result of storm surges and tsunamis.The purpose of this Directive is to establish a framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters andgroundwater which:- prevents further deterioration and protects and enhances the status of aquatic ecosystems;- promotes sustainable water use based on a long-term protection of available water resources;- aims at enhanced protection and improvement of the aquatic environment;- ensures the progressive reduction of pollution of groundwater and prevents its further pollution;- contributes to mitigating the effects of floods and droughts.The Directive requires Member States to carry out a preliminary assessment by 2011 to identify the river basins and associated coastal areas atrisk of flooding. Member States shall identify the individual river basins lying within their national territory and shall assign them to individualriver basin districts. For such zones they will need to draw up flood risk maps by 2013 and establish flood risk management plans focused onprevention, protection and preparedness by 2015.The European Commission will adopt specific measures against the pollution of water by individual pollutants or groups of pollutantspresenting a significant risk to or via the aquatic environment, including such risks to waters used for the abstraction of drinking water.Member States shall take appropriate steps to coordinate the application of this Directive for improving efficiency, information exchange andfor achieving common synergies and benefits regarding the environmental objectives.3.2.3.3 Feasibility and option analysisDisaster risk reduction measures may consist of:- policy planning: policy and planning measures are implemented at the national or regional level andhelp to integrate disaster risk measures into the policy framework;- physical components: physical measures are designed to reduce the vulnerability and exposure of theinfrastructure to natural hazards (prevention) as well as to provide coping and adaptive infrastructuresin case of a disaster.Increasing importance is given to measures that are designed and implemented at the Community level,particularly the strengthening of community networks to better respond and cope with a disaster eventthrough training and capacity building.Projects should take into account four main steps:- information;- prevention (for example limiting the use of flood plains, through land use planning);- protection (for example, building dams or dykes to reduce possible impacts of flooding, or improving afire protection system);- emergency (for example, actual implementation of an emergency plan in case of floods or blazes).Options analysis is particularly important and should consider global alternatives as well as solutionsclosely linked to the local context.103