APPG in Netherlands
APPG members fact finding mission to the Netherlands. Theresa Redding reports on the finding of the visit.
CoastNet support an All Party Parliamentary group in the UK on Coastal and Marine issues. It takes a close interest in Coastal Flood and Erosion Risk Management Policy. This is a matter of concern for a number of the Members of the group, whose constituents are to be affected by proposed policy changes. Defra, being the government department responsible, is undertaking a policy development process to address these issues. In addition Members wished to arrange a meeting with Dutch politicians to understand their approach to the issue, as it differs considerably from that in the UK. Of particular interest was how the Dutch government assesses the value of property, including farmland and natural areas, in making policy decisions, and where the balance lies between cost of defence, community benefit or otherwise, and cost to wildlife. Also of interest was the matter of how government justifies the cost of defending coastal communities, at a cost to tax payers throughout the country. Finally, are there systems and cases in the Netherlands where the Government has paid compensation to property owners so that its preferred policies can be implemented.
Meeting at Deltares, Delft
With this in mind CoastNet organised a visit to the Netherlands and Theresa Redding (Network Manager) accompanied two of the group’s officers, Chairman Norman Lamb MP (North Norfolk), Vice Chair Graham Stuart MP (Beverley and Holderness) and Malcolm Kerby (Chairman, Coastal Concern Action Group).
Meetings were organized with representatives from:
- The Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management
- Deltares - Delft
- South Holland Province – Coastal Development Dept.
- South Holland Province Executive for Parliament, Ad Koppejans MP.
The group were given excellent presentations at each of the meetings on a variety of area such as technical advances related to defending the coast , predictive modeling to the social issue of compensation and legislation.
The overall view gathered from the meetings was that the issue of defending the coast was one of national importance and all representatives were of the same opinion. The coast and hinterland was considered an important asset and essential to defend (approximately 60% of the population are below sea level and this area provides 65% of GDP. There is no need for housing insurance since compensation packages were well developed for all affected by flooding or from changes in defence policy. The was a cultural understanding that compensation would be provided from the individual to Government, this is the main difference between the Netherlands and the UK
The government of the Netherlands have also been proactive in the last 20 years in developing new technologies in coastal defence and as a result there is a well organised and funded national programme for maintaining and enhancing coastal defences. This proactive iterative research into coastal defence mechanisms has led to considerable advances in technology which is now being used globally.
There is a lot to learn from the approach taken by the Dutch nation to coastal defence and compensation. The UK coast is an important asset, the nations playground as well as home to over a third of the population. Its contribution to the country’s social and financial wellbeing may be considerably more than the UK Government realises.
From L to Right: Malcolm Kerby (CCAG), Norman Lamb MP, Graham Stuart MP, Paul van Zijl (British Embassy)