During the Aquaterra conference of the International Water Week in Amsterdam (1-3 November 2011), the Delta Alliance Netherlands Wing was launched as the Dutch knowledge platform of the Delta Alliance, having its motto: “For the resilience of deltas worldwide”. Some inspiring presentations of Tineke Huizinga (chair of the Delta Alliance), Renske Peters (Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment) and Lennart Silvis (Director Netherlands Water Partnership) addressed the importance of knowledge exchange and development between deltas worldwide, and the facilitating role of the Delta Alliance Netherlands Wing in this regard.

Ms Huizinga introduced the Delta Alliance as a young but dynamic knowledge network, which receives much attention. Currently this network already has 10 delta members, among others the Mekong delta in Vietnam, the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta in Bangladesh, the Mississippi delta in the US and the Nile delta in Egypt. The Delta Alliance is now involved in all 5 deltas of the Netherlands “Water Mondial” program (Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Mozambique). Another 10 deltas are interested to join the network, among others deltas in Ghana, Kenya, Taiwan, Senegal, Mozambique and Romania, which illustrates the need for such a network. The Aquaterra conference addressed the huge challenges that delta areas are facing by climate change, economic development and population growth. These pressures may result in impacts such as sea level rise, floods, droughts, salt water intrusion, subsidence, pollution, disturbed ecosystems, and reduced food security for which innovative solutions are needed. For all these issues the worldwide Delta Alliance network faces the challenge to share knowledge, to identify knowledge gaps and to jointly develop knowledge. Ms Huizinga called on the Netherlands Wing and it’s participating institutes to be actively involved and to further build the Delta Alliance network by developing joint cooperation (project) initiatives and to increase the knowledge base for more resilient deltas.

Ms Peters stressed the need for good cooperation within the ‘golden triangle’: government, research institutes and private sector and NGO’s. Regarding the knowledge aspects in this cooperation, the Delta Alliance Netherlands Wing can play an excellent role, especially in the framework of the Dutch governmental programs Topsector Water, Water Mondial and the Developing countries program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Linking and merging the knowledge and expertise of Dutch institutes may result in new opportunities for demand-driven research at European and global levels, especially in the 5 countries of the Water Mondial program (Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Egypt, Mozambique). Specific issues to address include governance aspects, innovation and the dialogue between deltas.

Mr Silvis emphasized the need for an innovative approach, with the integration of knowledge beyond ‘business as usual’, among others by means of spatial planning instruments. Through involvement of the Netherlands Water Partnership the private (water) sector will be well connected. It will be a challenge to develop the Delta Alliance Netherlands Wing into a joint knowledge platform on delta management issues, linking all relevant stakeholders.

For more information: Tom Bucx en Cees van de Guchte (Deltares, Coördinator Delta Alliance Netherlands Wing), tom.bucx(at)deltares.nl, cees.vandeguchte(at)deltares.nl.