Climate change requires different spatial choices
Advancing climate change means that it is less and less likely that water managers in the Netherlands will always be able to guarantee the conditions needed for living, working and recreation in every part of our country. Ever greater efforts will be needed to ensure the water management conditions required for today's land use. In some areas and for some activities, the limits of what is still possible are coming into focus. The government wants water and soil to play a more guiding role in spatial policy in the Netherlands, but not enough progress is currently being made. Over time, this could lead to very high costs. The Rli makes four recommendations to take climate change into account effectively when making spatial choices:
1) Society must be encouraged to make its own climate-resilient spatial choices.
The Rli advises central government and the water boards to use a 'water calendar' to systematically identify the effects of climate change for water safety, flooding and freshwater supply, and to communicate this in a timely and accessible manner to businesses, citizens, municipalities and provinces. This will ensure that society knows what water management conditions it can reasonably expect, until when, and what uncertainties exist thereafter. The water calendar can be taken into account in the use of space and associated decision-making on investments and other matters. Currently, parties too readily assume that they do not need to adapt to the effects of climate change, also because it is too readily assumed that the government will cover the costs of calamities or other unforeseen events.
2) More temporary spatial choices need to be made.
Climate-resilient spatial planning calls for greater flexibility of the use of space in the Netherlands. Space needed in the near or distant future for marine-engineering works (such as dyke reinforcements and water storage) should be able to be used temporarily for other spatial requirements, such as energy generation, nature development and even housing. In addition, the use of space must be adaptable in the future if current water management conditions are no longer achievable at reasonable effort and cost in a few years or decades. This calls for the development of new forms of temporary use of space.
3) Test all government spatial plans and decisions for climate resilience.
Central government, the provinces, municipalities and water boards must always test their own spatial visions, plans and decisions for resilience to climate change. They must also reserve enough space for dykes and other measures needed to cope with the effects of climate change.
4) Establish a programme to ensure that vital choices about the future water management of the Netherlands are made in good time.
Climate change necessitates fundamental decisions on issues such as the discharge distribution of the Rhine tributaries, an open or closed Rhine estuary, river water storage in the Southwest Delta or the construction of a coastal lake. These decisions will have a major impact on the future spatial planning of the Netherlands. However, preparation and realisation will take several decades. The Rli therefore advises the government to draw up a programme to ensure these decisions are taken in good time.
Note for editors
To request interviews, please contact the Council’s Communication Officer Anneke Verschoor at anneke.verschoor@rli.nl or on +31 (0)6 15359540.
For information on the content of the advisory report, please contact project leader Luc Boot, luc.boot@rli.nl, or +31 (0)6 10577495.
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About the Rli
The Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli) is an independent advisory board for the Dutch government and parliament. It provides solicited and unsolicited advice on overall policy pertaining to the sustainable development of the physical living environment and infrastructure. In particular, the Council addresses strategic public issues relating to spatial design and the economy, housing, the environment, food and raw materials, nature, agriculture, mobility and safety. www.rli.nl