News item | 04-03-2024 | 12:00
There are all kinds of ways to keep the Netherlands safe from rising sea levels in the distant future. Elevated or floating construction, an additional ring dike around the Randstad, closing off river arms, constructing a coastal lake to store river water… Research published today maps out all the major spatial options that may be necessary in the long term to deal with sea level rise. It is important that we already identify these possibilities, because the elaboration, decision-making and implementation of these costs a lot of money, space and time.
This research is part of the Sea Level Rise Knowledge Programme. It was commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the Delta Commissioner, in collaboration with the Top Sector Water.
In November it became apparent that it is technically possible to protect the Netherlands against a sea level rise of up to 3 meters with the existing approach of dike reinforcements, storm surge barriers, sand replenishments and pumps. In one of the KNMI’s climate scenarios, this increase is achieved just after 2100. In another scenario, we will not yet be at 3 meters in 2300. In the new research ideas have been developed for 2 meters and 5 meters.
Minister Mark Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management): “We see that there are possibilities to cope with even an extreme sea level rise of five meters. We also see that these will have significant consequences for the organization of the Netherlands. It is good news that we do not have to choose tomorrow, but that we still have time to do so. That time is also needed to gather more knowledge and to prepare our country now for the big choices we will make in the future.”
Delta Commissioner Co Verdaas: “Together with our engineers, hydraulic engineers and knowledge institutions, we have looked at how we can continue to live here safely in the long term. As a low-lying country, sea level rise presents us with an enormous task and drastic choices. But if we can handle this anywhere, it’s here. This research shows that technology and natural solutions can help us with this. And that we must now take the spatial challenges of the future into account in everything we do.”
Three schools of thought for the distant future
The options for dealing with the rising sea have been researched and written down by three broadly composed research groups, in which governments, knowledge institutions and companies have joined forces.
- The first consortium was concerned with the ‘protection’ school of thought, which builds on some of the already known measures such as protection through barriers and sand replenishments, closing off river arms and draining excess water with pumps.
- The second group focused on the ‘seaward’ way of thinking, whereby space at sea is used to solve future bottlenecks – such as accommodating peak discharges from rivers.
- The third line of thought was ‘moving along’, whereby land use and buildings are adjusted and water is given more space.
Take future approaches into account now
These three lines of thought have resulted in all kinds of options to keep the Netherlands safe in the future. There are plenty of options for dealing with sea level rise, but this will require major spatial choices in the long term. And whatever choices are made, they will cost money, space and time.
The calculation and drawing work will be further developed in the coming years. For example, we will look at the consequences of spatial choices in areas other than water safety, such as agriculture, water quality, shipping and nature. There will also be follow-up research into the space that must already be reserved to keep the door open for future measures.