Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation

How vulnerable are our cities, villages, and rural areas to extreme precipitation, heat, drought, and flooding? Insight into such vulnerabilities constitutes the basis for spatial adaptation. In order to map out their vulnerabilities, all the governments are required to have conducted, by no later than 2019, stress tests regarding the four climate themes: waterlogging, heat, drought, and flooding. Guidelines for standardised stress tests have been developed to help them on their way. In addition, several other parties have developed tools.

Once the results of the stress tests are available, the municipalities, district water boards, provinces, and Rijkswaterstaat will launch regional risk dialogues with all the relevant partners. The risk dialogues serve two purposes: raising awareness of an area’s vulnerability to climate extremes, and discussing specific measures to reduce such vulnerability. A Risk Dialogue Roadmap has been developed to help the authorities embark on the “Conducting risk dialogues and drawing up strategies” ambition. In addition, several other parties have developed tools.

After the authorities have drawn up an adaptation strategy, they will set down an implementation and investment agenda for their region. Among other things, this agenda features agreements on who is going to do what. As yet, a limited number of tools is available to help with this ambition.

In many cases, “breaking up streets” for the sole purpose of spatial adaptation will be neither efficient nor effective, particularly so in busy urban areas. The decades ahead will also see other major spatial taskings, such as new housing projects, major repairs to buildings, the energy transition, and the transition towards a circular economy. This Delta Plan is committed to having all spatial developments capitalise on climate-proofing opportunities. Under the Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation, a page on linkage opportunities (in Dutch) has been developed. In addition, other parties have also developed tools.

Spatial adaptation must become standard practice in cities, villages, and rural areas. One of the ambitions in this respect is for all the stakeholders to share their expertise, instruments, and experience wherever possible. This will obviate the need for everyone to re-invent the wheel, and will enable us to give impetus to spatial adaptation. The Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation comprises several instruments to achieve this goal. In addition, other parties have also developed tools.

The Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation stipulates that by 2050, the whole of the Netherlands must be water-resilient and climate-proof. In order to achieve this, spatial adaptation must be embedded in the management, maintenance, and planning of the environment. The authorities and private parties are pursuing this through legislation, visions, plans, and standards. Under the Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation, a page on regulating and embedding (in Dutch) has been developed. In addition, other parties have also developed tools.

Water-resilient and climate-proof planning can curb but never entirely prevent the damage and problems caused by extreme weather situations. The authorities aim to be better prepared for calamities caused by waterlogging, heat, drought, and flooding. Special attention will be focused on emergency provisions and the rapid restoration of vital and vulnerable infrastructure. Under the Delta Plan on Spatial Adaptation, a page on responding to disasters (in Dutch) has been developed. In addition, other parties have also developed tools.