CATCH expedites and improves climate adaptation in Overijssel
In order to expedite climate adaptation efforts in the province of Overijssel, the provincial authorities have participated in two projects: CATCH and CATCH+. In these projects, parties involved in small and medium-sized cities in the North Sea region have shared knowledge and experience in the field of climate adaptation. Furthermore, they have collectively developed tools to embark on climate adaptation.
What is CATCH?
The CATCH and CATCH+ projects are carried out under the European INTERREG funding programme. With this programme, the European Union is promoting collaboration and innovation among cities in European regions. CATCH comprises twelve organisations in the North Sea region. CATCH and CATCH+ are focused on small and medium-sized cities in this region that are interested in adapting to climate change and to extreme weather conditions. As smaller cities tend to have fewer resources and experts available for engaging in climate adaptation, the EU intends to provide additional support to such cities, for example, by supplying the pertinent tools. Apart from the province of Overijssel, Dutch parties involved in the CATCH project include the municipalities of Zwolle and Enschede, the Vechtstromen district water board, and University of Twente.
What has been achieved with CATCH?
The twelve CATCH partners have drawn inspiration from the Water Sensitive Cities Theory. The twelve organisations are collaborating on the accelerated realisation of climate-proof cities. Under the CATCH project, pilot studies have been conducted in seven cities: in Enschede and Zwolle (the Netherlands), Arvika (Sweden), Herentals (Belgium), Norwich (England), Oldenburg (Germany), and Vejle (Denmark). On the basis of these studies, the partners have developed several digital tools that can assist municipalities in the implementation of climate adaptation. The project commenced in July 2017 and was rounded off in June 2021.
How will the project continue?
CATCH will continue as CATCH+, in which the province of Overijssel and lead partner the Vechtstromen district water board will be collaborating with the municipality of Zwolle, the municipality of Enschede, University of Twente, and Saxion University of Applied Sciences. With this follow-up project, the partners intend to broaden, deepen, and disseminate the knowledge and experience that they have gained through CATCH. The knowledge and experience gained within the CATCH project, such as the strategies developed in Enschede and Zwolle, can help the Dutch CATCH+ partners and other Overijssel municipalities on their way, for example, to systematically prepare, conduct, monitor, and evaluate climate dialogues. CATCH+ is thus contributing to expediting and improving climate dialogues in the province of Overijssel.