Flood risk is growing at an alarming rate across the world, posing increasingly complex challenges to socioeconomic systems, infrastructure, and the environment. The latest output in the Rethinking Flood series by Marsh McLennan, “Staying above water: A systemic response to rising flood risk” illustrates how the transformation of flood risk management can play out along three ways forward: Living with floods, building strategic protection, and preparing for relocation. The new report has just been published by the team of Swenja Surminski, professor in practice at Grantham Research Institute London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and also partner of NATURANCE.

Staying above water discusses risk drivers, impacts, and the inadequacies of current risk management strategies, offering a strong rationale for urgent action. The report sets out guiding principles for resilience and a vision for the transformation of flood risk management articulated along three ways forward: Living with floods, building strategic protection, and preparing for relocation. Examples of innovative strategies from different geographies illustrate how the transformation can be realized. The report concludes with a call to action by proposing concrete steps to overcome inertia and mobilize different stakeholder action.

Staying above water is the latest installment of Rethinking Flood, a series from Marsh McLennan Advantage that synthesizes the insights and perspectives our businesses have gained in 150 years of managing flood risk and examining the implications of this threat on businesses, government, and society.