Provincial strategies

The provinces have agreed with the municipalities, district water boards, and national government that the Netherlands must be climate proof and water resilient by no later than 2050. What is the main provincial role in this ambition? This page tells you more. Click on the tiles below to find out how each province is fulfilling its role and what progress has been made regarding the ambitions set out in the Delta Plan for Spatial Adaptation. Is your province missing? Please contact us via the contact form and help us supplement the page! The pages relating to the provinces are available in Dutch only.

Climate adaptation is a spatial tasking

For the provinces, the main taskings involve the spatial domain. Thus, climate adaptation is largely a spatial tasking. The provinces seek to realise a green living environment, good accessibility, affordable housing, and an attractive business climate. All these endeavours touch upon other major taskings, such as the housing crisis, the nitrogen crisis, and the energy transition. Climate adaptation is best addressed in interconnection with other major spatial taskings. Climate adaptation is a key element in the following taskings:

• House construction: climate-proof and water-resilient housing;
• Sustainable industrial estates and office locations;
• Efficient water distribution and water use in the Netherlands;
• Energy transition and climate agreements;
• Vital rural areas: enhancing biodiversity and the landscape, sustainable farming;
• Regional accessibility through climate-proof infrastructure;
• Resilience of vital and vulnerable functions to climate impacts.

Provinces liaise between various parties

Provincial authorities can interconnect urban and rural areas in a regional, coherent strategy. To realise such a broad-based strategy, it is vitally important for the provinces to engage in close collaboration with the national government, municipalities, district water boards, and NGOs. The provinces will primarily play an encouraging and supporting role in this collaboration.

Association of Provincial Authorities (IPO)

The Association of Provincial Authorities (IPO) is an association of, for, and by provinces. It represents the provinces and defends their interests with the national government and in the European Commission. In addition, the Association of Provincial Authorities offers the provinces a platform for fostering innovation and exchanging knowledge. In its position paper (in Dutch) entitled “Naar een klimaatbestendig Nederland” [Climate proofing the Netherlands], the Association of Provincial Authorities provides its views on climate proofing the Netherlands and outlines how the provinces aim to address climate adaptation in combination with other major taskings.