Unveiling Blind Spots: Lessons from Belgium's on (Disaster) Floods Risk Governance

In her intervention, Nidhi Nagabhatla will discuss six critical governance gaps ("blind spots") undermining disaster resilience. How complex federal structures obscure accountability: communication failures delay evacuations; weak preparedness exposes vulnerabilities; limited citizen engagement hampers self-reliance; fragmented recovery strategies hinder reconstruction; risk culture gaps impede learning.

Strategic recommendations: streamline governance authority, establish real-time communication networks, enhance pre-disaster drills, empower communities, design equitable recovery frameworks, and cultivate shared risk culture. These reforms can help transform reactive crisis management into proactive resilience-building, as climate extremes intensify across Europe and other regions worldwide. Belgium's experience offers critical lessons for federal systems globally, positioning integrated governance as a foundation for adaptive disaster risk management and climate action.

For further information, please consult the UNU-CRIS report