The Netherlands advised on climate adaptation policy

Citation

(2009), "The Netherlands advised on climate adaptation policy", International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Vol. 1 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijccsm.2009.41401dab.002

The Netherlands advised on climate adaptation policy

Article Type: News From: International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, Volume 1, Issue 4

The Netherlands must develop a long-term spatial planning strategy to increase its ability to cope with the effects of climate change, Dutch environmental assessment agency PBL stated in a recently released report. The strategy should address five key challenges: long-term flood protection, secure freshwater supplies, increasing nature and cities' ability to cope with climate change, protecting transport and energy networks from extreme weather events and dealing with new health threats.

The Netherlands' potential to adapt to climate change in each of these areas varies greatly, according to the agency. For example, it expects “considerable” problems with freshwater supplies by 2050, while current flood protection methods will protect the country until 2100, even in the worst case scenario where the sea-level rises by 1.5 meters. The PBL makes several preliminary policy recommendations such as creating new freshwater bodies in urban areas, connecting up nature reserves, and improving early warning systems for extreme weather events. It will present policy options to the Dutch environment ministry by mid-2010.