The Netherlands vs the sea: The race to hold back rising waters

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The Delta Program undergoes a major review every six years, with the latest assessment due in September. Ensuring sufficient funding remains a top priority.

Currently, the Netherlands invests about 1% of its gross domestic product in water defense, but “we need to double our investment,” Verdaas said. In 2026, the Delta Fund will allocate €1.9 billion ($2.2 billion). The total program cost is projected at €38 billion ($43.7 billion) for 2015–2050.

“We are also experimenting,” Verdaas added. Several projects now use natural tides and sediment to strengthen the coastline, by allowing sand, mud, and silt carried by the sea to settle in targeted areas. Over time, this natural buildup raises and reinforces the land, helping protect shorelines while reducing the pressure on dikes and other hard infrastructure.

“So it’s not a contradiction between nature-based or technical solution, but let technical innovations work together with the natural system. That’s the way forward, we think,” Verdaas said.

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