Towards a secure, economically and ecologically valuable region
Land and water meet in the Southwestern Delta (South-West Netherlands and North-West Belgium). The rising sea level, increased drought and rising temperature of the air and the water have consequences for the region. Strootman Landschapsarchitecten, OAK consultants and WSP have joined together with residents, entrepreneurs, social parties and local government bodies to produce a Regional Agenda for the coming thirty years.
Location
Zuidwestelijke Delta
Principal
Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat en Gebiedsoverleg Zuidwestelijke Delta
Partners
OAK Consultants, Lievense
Surface Area
29.000 ha
Design Year
2019-2020
Implementation
2020-2050
Land and water meet in the Southwestern Delta (South-West Netherlands and North-West Belgium). Nature, home and work – water is here the factor that links them together. The rising sea level, increased drought and rising temperature of the air and the water have consequences for the region. In addition there are national issues that require attention, such as climate adaptation, the energy transition and the circular economy. In order to be well prepared to meet these developments, Strootman Landschapsarchitecten, OAK consultants and WSP have joined together with residents, entrepreneurs, social parties and local government bodies to produce a Regional Agenda for the coming thirty years.
The Southwestern Delta is a very valuable region in terms of landscape, economy, recreation and ecology. The Netherlands is proud of it and policy makers and users of the region want to prepare it properly for the future. A key issue here is the quality of life in the region. That is why in drawing up the agenda we have viewed all the factors in their social context. They are both big and urgent challenges, which is why all sectors have been involved in the process. The Regional Agenda is the result of an intensive regional process. An important factor was the input during four workshops and six regional meetings.
The ‘wet’ Southwestern Delta 2050 Regional Agenda contains a joint perspective that sets out guidelines for the deployment of water in the Southwestern Delta in 2050; an orientational executive agenda 2030 as a source of inspiration for (existing) programmes and projects; and a knowledge and innovation agenda. The challenges facing the region are confronted in three targets for the region: safe and climate-resistant, ecologically resilient, and economically flourishing. Using design research, we have outlined three scenarios for the future in the long term.
The process yielded a course for the coming thirty years with five perspectives for action. They are not intended as a straitjacket, but as inspiring examples for the follow-up trajectory of the Regional Agenda. Because the Regional Agenda is not just an agenda, it is also a call for action, a challenge to tackle the issues together, the starting signal for a debate with all the regional parties involved. As an issue, the social debate on climate change, water security, water quality and ecology and our economic prospects has never been hotter.