Invitation to a UK Network of Environmental Economists Seminar

Invitation to a UK Network of Environmental Economists seminar:

"Incorporating the Environment into Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management”

5:30pm for 6pm start Tuesday 17th October 2006

Defra, Rooms 7A, 7B and 7C, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DE

The need to employ more multifunctional and environmentally beneficial approaches to flood and coastal erosion risk management, using managed realignment options and softer forms of civil engineering is both good practice and envisaged in the current Government consultation, “Making space for water”. The need to be more proactive in the creation of habitat is also reflected in the Environment Agency’s BAP targets. However, despite this, the environment has often been recognised as a constraint rather than an area of potential gain in flood and coastal erosion risk management decision making. The consequence is that measures that positively encourage the creation of environmental amenity tend not to be put forward.

The involvement of environmental economists in this area may help both in expanding the definition of benefits of flood and coastal erosion risk management and in providing quantitative economic value evidence for cost benefit analysis.

Our first speaker Bill Watts is the Principal Economist (Flood Risk Management) for the Environment Agency for England and Wales. He will talk about the realities of the policy context and the need for more widespread use of better economic evidence.

Our second speaker, Dr Mike Christie, Lecturer in Environmental Economics at the Institute of Rural Sciences, University of Wales Aberystwyth, will present a case study using economic valuation as a tool for flood risk management. The research presented utilises stated preference (survey) technique to value the amenity benefits associated with alternative coastal defence options in Borth, West Wales.

Guest Speakers

Bill Watts gained his first degree at the University of East Anglia, in Development Studies, and his post graduate degree at Aberdeen University in Environmental Economics, where he was tutored by Prof. David Pearce. He is now Principal Economist in the Environment Agency, working on Flood Risk Management appraisal. Prior to this, he was the Principal Administrator in the Economics and Financial Affairs of the Research Directorate of the European Commission, an Economic Adviser in the Department of the Environment, and Principal Economist in the Northern Ireland Dept of Finance and Personnel.

Dr Mike Christie has over 12 years’ experience in undertaking environmental valuation research. Recent studies have included economic evaluations of coastal defence amenity, water quality, countryside recreation, agri-environmental schemes, biodiversity, and geo-diversity. These studies have utilised a range of valuation methods including travel cost models, contingent valuation, choice experiments and contingent behaviour models.

FREE for UKNEE members ● £5 for non-members ● RSVP: Ece Ozdemiroglu ([email protected]) before 13th October 2006 UKNEE – the UK Network of Environmental Economists - aims to bring together environmental economists from academia, consultancy and public and private sectors to foster closer relationships, follow recent developments and share experience.

We look forward to seeing you there. As customary, there will be drinks after the seminar.