Milestones of the Associated Programme on Flood Management
Floods are the most frequent type of natural disaster worldwide and have huge impacts on society and the environment. While much progress has been made in improving knowledge and early warnings systems, floods continue to increase around the world due to climate change, urbanization, and deforestation. The Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM), founded by the World Meteoritical Organization (WMO) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP) in 2001, expertly supports communities, countries, and regions in questions of flood management.
Together with over 30 partner organizations, APFM promotes and implements the concept of Integrated Flood Management (IFM), which combines risk, water and land use management in an effort to prevent catastrophic flood impacts – loss of lives, property and environmental damages – and to improve livelihoods. The aim is to change the prevailing paradigm from disaster management – only reacting to a flood – to a focus on proactive prevention measures. Over the years, IFM has proven the gold standard in flood management as it does not only minimize the risk of damage to land and property, but also maximizes the benefits derived from the use of flood plains, such as groundwater recharge and soil fertilization, by providing integrated solutions for societies and ecosystems. Click here to find out more about the milestones of APFM.
About APFM
