Flooding caused by extreme and prolonged rainfall is occurring more frequently across Europe. The way countries recover afterwards varies widely. These differences offer valuable lessons.
From 14-16 April 2026, JCAR ATRACE will convene an international workshop on post-flood recovery and “Building Back Better” in Verviers (Belgium) and Bad Neuenahr (Germany). The event brings together policymakers, practitioners and researchers from across Europe to reflect on recent flood recovery experiences and translate lessons learned into actionable recommendations for future weather extremes.
Recent flood disasters in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands (2021), as well as Valencia and Hauts-de-France (2024), have highlighted the complexity of recovery processes. While rapid reconstruction is essential, recovery also offers a critical opportunity to reduce long-term vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience. The workshop focuses on how these dual objectives can be better aligned in practice.
The workshop is organised by Deltares, RWTH Aachen, VU Amsterdam and Liège Universiteit. Over three days, participants will exchange national and regional experiences, discuss successful recovery approaches and identify key enabling conditions for building back better. By bringing together expertisefrom multiple governance levels and countries, the workshop aims to move beyond isolated case studies and towards shared insights that can support more coordinated and effective recovery strategies across Europe.
The discussions will contribute to the development of a joint policy brief, translating practical lessons into recommendations for decision-makers. In addition, the workshop will lay the groundwork for a follow-up meeting in Brussels, enabling broader engagement with European policymakers and strengthening the link between research, policy and implementation in post-disaster recovery.
By facilitating this exchange, JCAR ATRACE supports a growing European community committed not only to recovering from floods, but to using recovery as a lever for long-term climate resilience in transboundary river basins.
Learn more about the agenda of the event here: https://www.jcar-atrace.eu/en/about-us/workshop
