Journal of Flood Risk Management

Abstract

A new year is a time of expectation of things to come, yet it also warrants a serious reflection on the year past. For the journal, its first year of publication has been a combination of excitement, anticipation and at times sheer determination to achieve a brand new publication of quality. The editorial team has worked hard to support authors in achieving the very best standard in their manuscripts and to deliver a varied and authoritative selection of papers to our readership. We are indeed indebted to those authors, and to the panel reviewers, Editorial Board members and production team who have worked diligently to ensure timely publication of the four issues. We were also delighted to have Professor Eve Gruntfest from the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado join our team of Associate Editors. The journal has generated substantial interest, registering over 12 000 downloads during the year. We will be continuing with free access to the journal for 2009. The ability to publish high-definition colour figures has proved popular with authors, and as part of one of the special editions being prepared, we will be trialling video clips. The world has again suffered a series of flood catastrophes during last year, and as set out by Professor Takara in the previous editorial, much of the impact has fallen on the poorer parts of the population. Social and economic inequality in the impacts of flooding is reflected in both the developed and developing worlds. At a time of global economic recession, this problem is becoming more acute. Just when our attention should be focussing on the future challenges of flood risk management, so as to plan for the effects of climate change, we are turning away to tackle the economic crises at home. Of course managing the short-term consequences of the global economic downturn must be a priority, but this should not be totally at the expense of important long-term issues. Investment in managing future flood risk must be maintained. This is needed at all levels, from supporting practitioners and disaster managers at the forefront of delivery to the underpinning of scientific research. Climate change mitigation and adaptation are collectively the biggest single challenge facing the world. We need to ensure that our governments are not pressured into eroding that investment. The journal will therefore continue to play an ever more important role in sharing the collective knowledge and wisdom of our discipline and acting as an engine for change. Once again I encourage all those professionals working in this important field to engage with our publication, as both readers and authors.