Polski
Rotterdam lies at the mouth of the Rhine and Meuse rivers, on the New Meuse, and the Nieuwe Waterweg canal connects the city to the North Sea. It would seem that such a location might make it difficult to implement and regularly upgrade water and sewage solutions, but the Dutch city has for years been recognized as one of the safest delta areas in the world.
General assumptions of the water and sewage strategy
Rotterdam is known for its innovative solutions to protect citizens from floods and support business operations, including during emergencies. It also serves to cement the Netherlands’ position internationally as a pioneer and expert in the development of water architecture. With its strategy, the city has a significant impact on minimizing conflicts over access to natural resources. These activities received great recognition from representatives of other countries, so Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb was invited to the COP28 climate conference in Dubai.
Network of C40 cities
Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb admits that Rotterdam not only can, but even must, implement solutions to protect it from floods. While the Dutch city appears to be an expert in water management, officials are open to targeted proposals from other countries to reduce emissions and the effects of climate change. To this end, the C40 network was established, within which the Water Safe Cities Accelerator was created. All the centers included in this group have committed to implementing early warning and emergency response systems by 2027.
Participation in the COP28 conference
The mayor of Rotterdam and representatives of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water attended the COP28 conference. There they very effectively promoted effective defense of cities against the effects of climate change. Rotterdam also served as an ambassador for the energy transition. The mayor of the city met with the head of the Office for the Promotion and Protection of the City. Fujairah Province’s Environment Committee to discuss fire safety issues at Europe’s largest port complex, Haven van Rotterdam.
Innovative port in the Rhine-Meuse delta
The Dutch Haven van Rotterdam is a huge industrial cluster located in the northwestern part of Europe. It includes. refineries, chemical companies and an LNG terminal. Haven van Rotterdam is considered one of the most innovative ports in the world. Special sensors mounted in the water, along waterfronts, buildings and roads allow to collect in real time all the data on the current temperature, wind strength or visibility.
Haven van Rotterdam also has technologies in place to ensure uninterrupted operations at the terminal. The Dutch port is popularizing scientific knowledge of architecture and water systems. Manager Haven van Rotterdam has hosted the World Hydrogen Summit for several years. Mayor Aboutaleb has been outspoken about his desire to contribute to achieving climate goals, renewing the local economy and increasing Europe’s energy security.
What is Dutch water diplomacy?
Advisors at the Netherlands Institute for Foreign Relations in Clingendael prepared the 2011. report, which included a proposal to create “water diplomacy” as part of foreign policy. Rotterdam is famous for its floating office buildings. One of them houses the Global Adaptation Center, where in 2022. The African Adaptation Summit was held. The theme of the convention was the needs of the southern continent in financing the climate transition. Rotterdam’s mayor, as host of the entire event, welcoming his guests, said the Dutch city is “a living laboratory for climate adaptation, a showcase for the world.”
Economic benefits for Rotterdam
Water architecture, knowledge dissemination and innovative approaches to climate change place the Netherlands at the forefront of water experts. Rotterdam also attaches great importance to developing trade, increasing investment and cooperation with international companies. It is worth mentioning that the Dutch city contributed to the creation of a climate change adaptation strategy for Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh, resulting in, among other things. The launch of the flood protection partnership. Contributing to the development of the business plan were: Royal Hashkoing DHV, Van Oord and CDR International. In 2018. economic activities in Vietnam and Malaysia have generally focused on water management and strengthening resilience. Again, as many as 40 prestigious companies, including Dutch water pioneers Boskalis and Van Oord along with the management of Haven van Rotterdam, actively participated in the project.
