MA REGIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
AWARD: DISTINCTION
My dissertation, entitled The changing nature of Ceredigion emergency management post-2012 and 2014 storms was supervised by Associate Professor Kevin Grove (profile here) and Dr Mitch Rose (profile here).
Thesis abstract:
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Over recent years, emergency management in the UK has witnessed a transition towards increased community and individual responsibilisation as climate change and increasing storm events impact our societies. Despite this, there are few studies examining such a transition on a local county scale. This study investigated the nature of Ceredigion’s emergency management and how the 2012 and 2014 storm events shaped emergency management in the mid-Wales county. Using a mixed method approach incorporating textual content analysis and standardised open-ended interviews, it was found that the emergency management structure in Ceredigion is inherently multi-agency, dominated by coordination and cooperation, and that over recent years it is becoming increasingly determined and shaped by local circumstances. In the context of the storm case study, although the storms played a role in this transition, their role was not uniform across all communities and was not the sole driving factor as national government policies influence local state capacity. Finally, whilst the model of developing community-based emergency management, following a partnership approach, could be adopted in rural areas elsewhere in the UK, it is suggested that in areas where the ‘community’ is harder to define, difficulties may arise.
Other Research
As part of the module, Risk Management and Resilience in a Changing Environment, I conducted an assessment, written in the style of an After-Action Report, on the changes made to Lostwithiel's flood management post-2010 floods. The report was entitled, Lostwithiel 2010: 5 Years On.
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Synopsis:
Six years on from the events of Boscastle, the storm of Novmember 2010 brought devastation to Cornwall with effects felt within the local economy and nationally as transport was disrupted. The principal change made post-2010 was the establishment of a flood plan for the town and a county-wide community flood forum. Whilst two key recommendations were proposed, the changes made post-2010 have helped the community feel more prepared and resilient to deal with future flood events.
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Left: Lostwithiel Bridge, River Fowey (Cornwall)