The implementation and alignment of a resilient set of Flood Risk Management Strategies is not straightforward and may encounter many barriers. The STAR-FLOOD consortium identified governance challenges related to four dimensions: actors, rules, power and resources, and discourses. Major challengse for each dimension include:
- Actors: the necessity to organise joint working between relevant actors in an effective way; the division of responsibilities; to adequately involve stakeholders; to optimise the science-policy interface;
- Rules: the translation of general Flood Risk Management principles into a set of more specific organisational, substantive and procedural provisions;
- Resources: efficient and joint use of resources; connecting current (individual) investments to long term collective benefits; the role of insurance;
- Discourses: the realisation of a discursive shift.
Overall, FRGAs tend to be highly fragmented. A major overall challenge is the development and implementation of inspiring bridging concepts which change agents may use to create synergies between key actors. Concepts like Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) or climate proofing are examples of this.