Sea level rise and climate change are a major threat for low-lying delta areas. This contribution will focus on the effects of various sea-level rise scenarios for the Dutch flood protection and water management system, and the options for adaptation. The role of infrastructural and nature-based solutions will be discussed as well as their scalability and limits in the context of future conditions. Moreover, the costs and feasibility of future adaptation will be highlighted. The final part of the presentation will focus on the possibilities and limitations of flood risk reduction for US and international deltas.

Bas Jonkman is a professor of Hydraulic Engineering at Delft University, the Netherlands. He holds the chair of Integral Hydraulic Engineering, which focuses on research and education in the fields of hydraulic structures and flood risk. He holds a PhD degree from TU Delft and has worked for the Dutch government, Royal Haskoning DHV and UC Berkeley. His research interests include flood risk management, disaster management, and the integral design of hydraulic infrastructure, such as flood defenses and storm surge barriers. He has been involved in post-disaster and design studies in the Netherlands, New Orleans, Houston, Mozambique and various countries in South East Asia. Dr. Jonkman is currently leading a number of national and European research projects focusing on climate adaptation and strategies for flood risk reduction, including storm surge barriers and nature-based solutions.