氣候變遷恐將帶來更豐沛雨量和海平面上升，水災危機將隨而升高。歐洲議會和歐盟理事主席上週達成共識，制定新法管理水災風險又再向前一步。
26日，歐洲議會針對水災評估和風險管理，通過一套折衷修正法案，這項修正案已被理事會主席同意。2007年上半年輪值的德籍歐盟主席親自協調這份相容法案。然而，環保團體抨擊歐洲議會並未採用永續管理方式解決水災問題，例如溼地、氾濫平原和河岸林地等自然防禦工程。
歐盟委員會表示，水災屬於自然現象，無法全面遏止，因此針對水災風險擬定長期的同調策略，便顯得格外重要，以減低水災所造成的各樣損失。
根據新法，27個歐盟國家需列出水災危險區的河岸和海岸線地圖，並針對這些區域擬定管理方案。歐洲議會要求各會員國先行評估水災風險，在2011年之前繪成災區地圖，2013年則需詳列各災區危險性和風險性，並在2015年底前研擬出降低水災風險的具體措施。
A law to manage flood risks across Europe is one step closer to being passed after an agreement was reached this week between the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers. Climate change is expected to lead to more intense rainfall and to a rise in sea levels. As a consequence, floods risks are likely to increase across Europe.
The European Parliament Wednesday adopted a set of compromise amendments that were agreed with the Council of Ministers on the assessment and management of flood risks. The harmonized approach to flood risk management was negotiated under the German EU Presidency, which is in place from January 1 to June 30, 2007. Environmental groups criticized the European Parliament for failing to implement the sustainable management of floods, saying the compromise stopped short of promoting an approach that works with natural defenses like wetlands, floodplains and riverbank woodlands.
Although floods are a natural phenomenon, and cannot be entirely prevented, a coherent, long-term strategy for flood risk management can reverse the trend towards increased damage from floods, said the Commission, the executive branch of the EU government.
The new law will require the 27 EU member states to identify the river basins and associated coastal areas that are subject to flood risk. They must draw up flood risk maps and management plans for those zones.
The directive adopted by the EU Parliament on flood risk management requires that national governments take three steps - a preliminary evaluation of flood risks and the identification of risk areas by the end of 2011, the mapping of hazards and risks in these areas by the end of 2013 and, based on this, the elaboration of plans of measures for reducing flood risks by the end of 2015.
全文詳見ENS報導
作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
