This article was originally written on 14 July 2007 and published on blog.luxzenburg.org. It is republished here as a historical document and reflects the author’s ideas at the time of writing.
Large parts of the United Kingdom are under water following heavy rainfall. The image reminds me of the Netherlands in 1995, when large parts of Limburg in particular were flooded. Unlike the UK, the Netherlands has since implemented a delta plan for its inland waterways, designed to protect the Dutch interior from flooding for the coming centuries.
The new climate changes are already requiring adjustments to those plans. There is now talk of the Gelderse Vallei as a possible expansion of water buffers — which would mean that places like Veenendaal and Barneveld would in some form become islands.
How different things are in the United Kingdom. The government there does not yet seem aware of climate change; a delta plan for coastal management and inland waterways does not exist. Reading that fills my heart with Dutch pride: send the Dutch! Just as the Dutch firm Arcadis was asked to help protect New Orleans against a repeat of Katrina, Dutch companies and Rijkswaterstaat could help the British keep their feet dry.
Where is the Dutch government now in offering assistance to the British? Because I have not yet read about that. Offering help would be an ideal opportunity to get a foot in the door. If there is one thing we have reason to be proud of, it is our water management expertise. As Descartes reportedly said: God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands. And that pride was what I wanted to share here.