Reflections on Science: Urban regions in the Delta

Deltas and coastal lowlands are the most productive regions because of their rich environmental resources and strong economic potentials; they are geographic nuclei of innovation, biodiversity, industrial and agricultural productivity, and home to the fastest growing cities in the world. Almost all great ancient civilizations started in deltas. Deltas provide not only the basic needs for human being like water, fertile land, food, but they also provide energy (oil and gas), wood and waterways  for transportation.
On the other hand urban regions in the delta face huge challenges because of competing land use claims, water related diseases and climate change. Most of these problems are the result of an unbalanced, sectoral attitude to design and manage land use and water management plans for the past centuries or decades. Solving these complex problems require an interdisciplinary approach, innovative ways of reasoning and the involvement of all stakeholder groups (governmental and non-governmental organisations, private stakeholders).
Therefore, in particular universities can play a pivotal role in contributing to solve these "wicked problems" that emerge from urbanised regions in the delta. Surely it may be expected from the young unbiased generation to come up with innovative solutions.

Two challenges

Think tank 1: EU/ USA Challenge

• The need for action

• A robust framework for strategic sustainable development; what are the conditions?

• How to apply?

• How to merge or link effectively existing concepts of sustainable development ?

Think tank 2: Indonesian Challenge

• The need for action

• Water; the threat of floods, e.g. land subsidence Jakarta

• Health; dense population in cities & water related diseases, e.g. Dengue, leptospirosis, etc.

• Socio-economy; sustainable management of natural resources; shrimp-culture and mangrove systems, forestry, opportunities for green enterprises, improvement of infrastructure and mobility.

5 universities - 5 countries

On the 14th of June the yearlong program of the Honours Academy ended officially. The work of the students was honored with a ceremonial graduation in Nijmegen. During the year the students developed a framework for sustainable water management in urban region in river deltas. The framework was handed to Deltares shortly afterwards.

During the ceremony the students reflected the development process (see below) and experiences of the last months. As reward they got a certificate and a hard cover edition of the framework.

The Final Report "Urban regions in the delta" 

Spring School in Portland

Program Spring school 2012

Summer school in Nijmegen

Program Summer school 2011

Partner Universities

	Institute Technology Bandung/ Padjadjaran University Bandung (Indonesia)
	Portland State University (USA)
	Blekinge Institute of Technology (Sweden)
	Radboud University Nijmegen (The Netherlands) University of Duisburg-Essen (Germany)