Ninth National Delta Congress 2018

Adapting the Netherlands to climate change in time

A key theme was timely adapting the Netherlands to climate change. How does the Delta Programme prepare us for a future featuring the increasing probability of severe storms such as the one we experienced at the beginning of this year, torrential spring rain, and summer drought? How can we respond adaptively to new developments, yet continue to give impetus to the taskings we are facing in the fields of flood risk management, water availability, and spatial adaptation? How will we address, in the near and distant future, signs of a potentially accelerating rise in sea level?

This is what the time table looked like:

10.30 - 12.15 hrs.| Plenary opening

• Welcome by day chair Inge Diepman.
• Address by Delta Programme Commissioner Wim Kuijken.
• Opening of the Delta Congress by the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Cora van Nieuwenhuizen.
• Keynote address by Reinier de Graaf on the tasking entailed in climate change, and the impact it may have on our landscapes and urban environment. Reinier de Graaf is an architect, partner in the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) – founded by Rem Koolhaas – architecture theoreticist, urbanist, and writer. In 2002, he co-founded AMO, the OMA think tank.
• The new Delta Programme film: Overal in Nederland aan de slag #3 [Setting to work all across the Netherlands #3].
• Interview with the Delta Programme partners.
• In a spoken column, Tracy Metz, journalist, author, and member of the second Delta Committee, presented her view on the Delta Programme – ten years after the advisory report by the Veerman committee.
• The spotlight was turned onto a special project.

This year’s congress was a special event. It marks the tenth anniversary of the advisory report by the second Delta Committee, chaired by Cees Veerman, the report that, in 2008, laid the foundation for the Delta Programme in its current form. Furthermore, during the confress, the Delta Programme Commissioner took his leave of the delta community, with a view to his retirement in November.

12.30 - 14.00 hrs. | Luncheon

Luncheon, including features in the Delta Parade theatres.

14.00 - 15.30 hrs. | Parallel sessions

In the afternoon, there were parallel sessions on the rise in sea level; the future of the river system; environmental visions and the Delta Programme; freshwater supply and spatial adaptation; and the step from stress test to risk dialogue.

09.15 - 17.30 hrs. | Delta Parade

Throughout the day, the Delta Parade was the central meeting place. Visit one of the booths for up-to-date information, take a peek at innovations, and get in touch with experts. Each booth is dedicated to one of the Delta Programme regions or themes, or to similar projects and programmes. This year, the Delta Parade featured four theatres in which short presentations, workshops, and interviews were been scheduled.

15.30 - 17.30 hrs. | Delta snacks and drinks

Delta snacks and drinks, including features in the Delta Parade theatres.