There is an urgency for developing methods that are capable of monitoring watersystems that are fast changing due to climate change and increase of anthropogenic pressure. Updated and real-time detailed data is necessary to support water and soil management strategies. This study evaluates the implementations of novel techniques in different socio-economic settings. Sensors and cameras were installed in mobile platforms (including boats and underwater drones), and deployed to assess spatial data variability. Environmental scans were performed at multiple locations with different water systems in The Netherlands, Indonesia and Denmark. Results from themultiple methods (sensor, cameras) provided new insights into spatial variation of water quality, contrasting with traditional point sampling. Feedback from waterauthorities and other stakeholders indicate that collected data can be used tosupport management actions, and that such increasingly accessible technologiescontribute to creating awareness to water related issues.
Many adaptation projects struggle with financial feasibility in the current financial system andconsequently face a decreased implementation probability. One means of addressing thischallenge is the accurate valuation of secondary benefits, for example (social) marketingpotential, employment and knowledge development. Based on personal experience with realcases in The Netherlands, the authors of this paper have identified the (social) marketingpotential of ‘sustainable development (SD) icon projects’ (highly visible SDfeatures/characteristics) as a significant driver of stakeholder value. However, utilization of thisdriver of stakeholder value demands accurate valuation and subsequent integration into thefinancial feasibility evaluation of adaptation projects.
The changing climate has an effect on the quality of life in our cities: heavier rainfall (resulting infloodings), longer periods of drought, reduced air and water quality and increasing temperatures incities (heat stress). Awareness about these changes among various stakeholders is of greatimportance. Every Dutch region is required to perform a stresstest indicating the effects of climatechange (o.a. flooding and heatstress) before 2020. The level of execution, area size and level ofparticipation of stakeholders, has intentionally been made flexible.To provide more insight into the approaches and best management practices to climate resilience,this article provides 3 examples of stresstests performed on several levels: single object real estatelevel, city level and national district level. The method ‘stresstestíng’, involves flood and heatstressmodeling, defines the current status of climate adaptation characteristics of an object, city or district.The stresstest form the base line and starting point for the national 3 step approach adaptationstrategy ‘analyse, ambition and action’.The 3 pilots have been evaluated as ‘successful’ by stakeholders and yielded a significant amount ofvaluable information, further improvement is recommended as increasing the participation of theprivate sector, in a ‘quadruple helix approach’. The learning points from these 3 examples ofstresstests will subsequently be implemented in the form of improved stresstesting in the nearfuture in (inter)national cities around the world.
