A fair and sustainable economy requires new ways of thinking — both in research and in practice. At the Economy for the Common Good International Conference (ECGIC 2026), researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry leaders came together to explore pathways towards a fair and sustainable economy.
On the first day of the conference, Deltares expert Anoek van Tilburg presented one of her PhD papers titled: “A comprehensive wellbeing assessment in cost-benefit analysis: a review of flood adaptation case studies”. It shows that the scope of cost-benefit analyses can significantly influence which adaptation measures are considered most desirable.
Many economic analyses still apply a relatively narrow scope. At the same time, studies that include broader aspects — such as equity and the side effects of adaptation measures — often reach different conclusions. This highlights how important it is to look beyond direct costs and benefits when assessing flood adaptation strategies.
The research is relevant for:
• Researchers, by supporting the development of methods that better capture wider societal impacts.
• Practitioners, by providing inspiration from broader analyses already applied in practice.
• Policymakers, by showing where current economic assessments may be limited and where guidelines could be strengthened.
Building on this review, follow-up research will involve a survey among authors of the analysed studies to help shape a future research agenda for flood cost-benefit analyses.