The Dutch National Strategy A National Framework for adapting Spatial Planning to Climate Change J.W.L. (Hans) ten Hoeve Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment

The National Strategy  Communicate about “Climate Change”; sense of urgency  Raise public awareness + political commitment  Identify (direct) effects of climate change  Develop leading principles for spatial adaptation  Results of research on vulnerabilities and opportunities  Earmark climate proof projects / programmes  Start a process for adjusting instruments  Draft a national agenda

Approach  Open process with stakeholders  Coalition of national, regional & local governments  Ministry VROM coordinates national programme  Long term vision; short term actions  Focus on spatial issues  Integral approach on a regional level  Cross cutting interaction  Link & interaction between science, research and policy

NL DELTA

Water Safety

Biodiversity

Economy

Quality of Life

Leading principles Risk management -Absolute safety does not exist (nor certainty about things to happen) -Prevention + reduce effects Adjust risk & cost-benefit analysis for long term investments Natural systems -Use natural functions of soil, water and air, -Restore natural systems en buffering functions Create win-win situations for large scale spatial structures (nature, water safety, tourism, landscape, urban activities)

Dilemma’s  Large scale urban developments in low lying polders,  Existing habitats & unique species; protect or develop,  Salt penetration caused by sea level rise,  Subsidence peat land areas,  Long term spatial reservations ( 20, 50, 100 years ?)  Instruments for financing investments, linking cost and benefits,  Synergy water management, nature preservation & urban development,

Targets on national level  Criteria and concepts for a climate proof NL; national, regional and local,  Assessment for strategic projects, regional developments and budgets,  Regional Climate Scenario’s,  Regional and local experiments (water / nature projects) “Klimaatbuffers”,  Measures for buffering nature preservation areas,  Impulses for new policy on water safety (risk based),

Water Policy National Agreement on Water management (2001), Policy: “Space for water”, Water management: technical and spatial challenge, To ensure the integration of water aspects into spatial planning processes, To make legal or fysical reservations for future waterplans

Objectives Water Assessment  To guarantee the water interests  Water quality, water quantity, water shortage  Preventing negative effects on the water system or compensated elsewhere  From national to local scale and applied for all sorts of plans: urban development, industrial areas, infrastructure,  Process of interaction during spatial design rather than a test on water aspects of a completed spatial plan

Water Assessment – the process Initial phase: agreements on water criteria and cooperation during the planning process, Developing phase: water recommendation made by the water authority Decision making phase: assessing the recommendations and adjusting the spatial plan by the spatial planning authority Reviewing phase: approval by the higher authority obligatory

Water Assessment - experiences so far  Flexibel tool to use within existing spatial planning processes  The sooner the water authority is engaged in the planning process the better!  The largest benefit of Water Assessment lies in the choice of the right locations and a waterproof design  Tailor-made criteria for each individual spatial plan  Translating water criteria into spatial criteria  No specific provisions for legal appeal  Difficulties to agree on who pays what

Conclusion 1.Mobilize political commitment and increase public awareness 2.Make instruments available for concerted action 3.Encourage innovation and demand-driven knowledge development 4.Pro-active government, anticipating on future situations Adaptation needs a structural change in the way we think and act Involvement of all authorities, civil society organizations & business Understanding of natural system & vulnerabilities Long term vision is vital