ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ

Spatial adaptation falls within the jurisdiction of various public and private actors. For the successful implementation of spatial adaptation measures, responsibilities and roles of the different actors need to be clearly distinguished and defined in policy guidelines.

Nature-based solutions are inspired and supported by natural processes and are increasingly recognized to provide significant social, ecological and economic benefits for cities in deltas.

Researchers at the Water, Climate and Future Deltas hub have engaged with the challenges of spatial adaptation in cities in deltas and focused on stakeholder involvement and improving institutional settings for implementing spatial adaptation, in particular nature-based solutions as a sustainable adaptation approach in spatial planning.

Public actors and governance researchers can contribute to broadening the debate and addressing preconditions for successful policymaking and implementation of spatial adaptation measures.

Many deltas host large urban areas, including megacities like Jakarta, Dhaka, Shanghai and Bangkok. Climate change negatively affects the livelihoods and health of delta inhabitants through drought, heat and urban flooding.

Contact persons of the storyline 'Drought in deltas' of the Water, Climate and Future Deltas hub at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, a platform for scientists and external stakeholders to jointly work on ensuring the sustainability of our world’s deltas.

In recent years, droughts have increasingly become a challenge for delta populations which is projected to further increase in the future. It is therefore imperative to explore efficient, inclusive and integrated drought adaptation strategies.

To mitigate and adapt to increases in drought frequency and severity, researchers at the Water, Climate and Future Deltas hub aim to support future water management decisions in the short and long term in the Rhine-Meuse delta and worldwide.

In many deltas, droughts are projected to last longer and occur more frequently due to climate change and an increasing water demand. Delta populations are now facing the challenge to adapt to these changes which requires decision-making and robust policy making ahead of time.

Contact persons of the storyline 'Flood risk management' of the Water, Climate and Future Deltas hub at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, a platform for scientists and external stakeholders to jointly work on ensuring the sustainability of our world’s deltas.

Flood risk is expected to increase in the future. Sea level rise, more frequent peaks in river discharges and extreme weather events pose a challenge to decision makers dealing with flood risk management.

Like the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom are increasingly embracing the idea of integrated flood risk management. Nevertheless, with different physical conditions and political climates, they employ different strategies.

Coastal forelands are unprotected areas between the sea or estuary and a dike, and are common features in the Rhine-Meuse delta. Most forelands consist of a high-lying salt marsh alongside a dike with lower unvegetated mud flats lying in front.

Dike constructions protect the Rhine-Meuse delta against river flooding and storm surges coming from the North-Sea. Dike failure is not always related to flooding but can also result from subsurface and groundwater mechanisms.

Room for the River is a nationwide program adopted by the Dutch government in 2005-2015 as a response to severe floods in 1993 and 1995. Instead of the local implementation of flood protection measures, the project applied a system approach by implementing more than 30 measures along the Rhine, Meuse, and their distributary rivers.

Integrated solutions, combining flood safety with other societal needs, are a response to the need for more sustainable and flexible flood risk management.

Integrated flood risk management requires a change in mindset to step out of the traditional way of thinking about flood protection. Moreover, it enhances the complexity of management approaches and therefore multiple barriers are currently encountered during the implementation.

Sea level rise, land subsidence and more frequent extreme rainfall and storm events enhance the risk of flooding in deltas. Flood risk management is required to maintain the population’s safety and to prevent and compensate for economic damage.

Contact persons of the storyline 'Sinking deltas' of the Water, Climate and Future Deltas hub at Utrecht ľ¹Ï¸£ÀûÓ°ÊÓ, a platform for scientists and external stakeholders to jointly work on ensuring the sustainability of our world’s deltas.

The unexplored rates of land subsidence, its lack of acknowledgement in policy agendas, the divergent interests and the unknown socio-economic consequences of potential management strategies emphasize the need for future scientific attention, societal discussions, and an integrated view on land subsidence.