Annual Forum 2026: Flood simulation exercise showcases crisis response roles

During the hands-on workshop, part of the forum's official programme, participants stepped into the shoes of local actors and took on specific crisis-response roles in a simulation modelled on the October 2017 flood that brought Kristiansand to a standstill.

"Municipalities and their communities are on the front line of the impacts of climate change and other disruptive events," said Katie Goldie-Ryder, ClimaResponse Project Coordinator at the CBSS. She added that "this exercise demonstrates how clear roles, coordination and local capacity are essential to respond effectively to crises and protect communities."

The exercise was co-organised by three sister projects - BALTFLOODS, ClimaResponse and CREWS - which aim to strengthen the capacities of local authorities and communities to prepare for and respond to risks and disasters. All three projects are co-financed by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme.

"The flood exercise serves as a demonstration of how citizens can be meaningfully engaged through digital tools," said Sanna Varis, BALTFLOODS Project Manager at the City of Lappeenranta, Finland. She added that "it goes beyond simply informing people about potential flood scenarios and explores how they can contribute to preparedness efforts aligned with the co-creation of public services."

As the Baltic Sea Region faces growing and interconnected risks - including extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions and infrastructure vulnerabilities - rapid, coordinated local response is essential to reduce harm and protect communities.

"Public authorities cannot manage crises alone - civil society actors, including volunteers, are essential partners in preparedness and response," said Birgit Gutenmorgen, CREWS Project Manager at the Hamburg district of Altona. She added that coordinated action between authorities, stakeholders and citizens is needed to reduce damage and support more resilient communities.

During the simulation, the three projects showcased digital tools and solutions designed to help local authorities respond to climate-related crises and severe weather events, with participants able to test some of the tools themselves.

The session was facilitated by Kristiansand Municipality in Norway, with support from partners from the three projects and Intoto, a Norwegian flood monitoring company that provided the digital tool and data used for the flood simulation.

The article was first published on the EUSBSR website.