Adaptation activity
The Dutch government, private businesses, and local residents are working together on urban development that takes into account flood control and management of water resources (fig. 1) in Rotterdam. Following the floods of 1953, which killed more than 1,800 people, a massive tidal embankment was built, which is meant to withstand a 1 in 10,000-year flood event. Since then, the Rotterdam Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, developed in 2013, has promoted urban development that takes into account water management, in addition to traditional measures against major floods (fig. 2).
These development include, for example, water squares (usually used as a space for recreational purposes and water yards that serve as temporary reservoirs during heavy rains), green roofs (to help absorb rainwater and retard runoff), underground parking lots that can function as water storage areas, expansion of rivers and wetlands, and the use of permeable materials for pavements and roads (fig. 3). Urban development that incorporates adaptation measures in this way has attracted global attention.
