ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��

So far, research has mainly been focused on preventing deltas from drowning. But are there also opportunities when deltas reach a drowning state? What new opportunities may arise from extreme sea-level rise? What can be learned from other deltas worldwide about possible ‘drowned’ ecosystems, ecosystem services and land uses? How can be ensured that if the Dutch Delta drowns, it happens in the most optimal way? To answer these questions, the Drowned Deltas project organised an interactive workshop on the opportunities of a drowned Dutch delta. The project is a seed money project of the Water, Climate & Future Deltas hub of Pathways to Sustainability.

Necessary abiotic conditions for coastal ecosystems

Coastal ecosystems (mangroves, oyster reefs, seagrass meadows, coastal peat and mangroves) could play an important role for future drowned deltas. They could provide several important services, such as coastal protection, food supply, carbon sequestration, sediment trapping, water purification, recreation, fresh water supply and biodiversity. This was one of the conclusions of a literature review on the necessary abiotic conditions for five coastal ecosystems, their ecosystem services and the expected abiotic conditions for a future drowned Dutch delta under a two meter sea-level rise scenario that was carried out as part of the project.

Drawing a future drowned Dutch delta

In the workshop, the participants designed a future drowned Dutch delta on the map, pitched their ideas and formulated research questions that came to mind while drawing their future drowned Dutch delta. At the end of the day the research questions were valued by dividing funding (chocolate coins) over the questions. The goal of the workshop was to obtain new insights and to define research questions about the opportunities of drowning deltas.

Opportunities for energy generation and transport

New insights derived from the workshop were that drowned deltas could provide opportunities for energy generation and transport. Other new insights on the topic discussed during the workshop were the danger for environmental pollution caused by drowning, the importance of governance in the process to a sustainable delta and the knowledge gaps that need to be filled concerning the future physical conditions of the Dutch Delta. The newly created research questions devised during the workshop provide valuable input to direct follow-up research towards the Dutch Drowned Delta. And this is crucial because it will happen sooner or later, quoting Peter Kuipers Munneke: “The questions is not if the Netherlands disappears below water, but when.”