Polder2C's
To prepare the 2 Seas Region for the emerging trend in Climate Change
Priority Axis
Adaptation to Climate ChangeSpecific objective
Adaptation to Climate Change
Lead partner
Stichting Toegepast Onderzoek WaterbeheerContact
Begindatum
01/12/2019Einddatum
30/09/2022Project budget
6 499 430 €ERDF amount
3 899 658 €ERDF rate
60%Over
Common challenge
Climate change is affecting countries in the 2 Seas area faster and more extreme than previously expected. The common challenge is to pro-actively prepare all 2 Seas stakeholders to climate change challenges. They need to embed the potential impact of flooding in their plans, on a strategic, tactical and operational level. The biggest challenge is that stakeholders do not know exactly how strong the flood defences are and how well emergency response is organized in practice. Most scenarios and decision support systems are based on theoretical models. Another challenge is to raise awareness among the general public and stakeholders that no guarantee can be given for a full-proof flood defence. Stakeholders in the 2 Seas countries need to test the viability of current and future proof flood resilience and emergency response approaches in practice. De-poldering of Hedwige- and Prosperpolder offers a unique 6 km2 living lab to validate flood defence and emergency response practices.
Overall objective
Main outputs
Cross border approach
Main Achievements
Polder2Cs had an energetic start. Despite COVID related restrictions, partners have enthusiastically and actively contributed towards the various activities which resulted in a living lab. Once it was operational, several activities were organised, ranging from survey and training to testing and exercising. Autumn 2020 a first set of experiments have been performed. For interested people (both professionals and general public), we made close connection to the experiments possible by regular vlogging, inspiring news letters and last but not least a live stream which was accessible for anybody.
We also were able to perform emergency exercises, also using the newly developed inspection app called App2c. Especially the damage caused by overflow experiments provided unexpected opportunities to cooperate on elaboration and actual implementation of repair measures.
We have organised a Winter School for March 2021 and a levee challenge for teams of students in Spring 2021. Both events have attracted a lot of students that want to be involved. Also there is interest from young professionals, the project is considering if this would be an option as well. Regarding the curricula we are proud to have already a couple of master and PhD students working on subjects on levee safety and emergency response. Students are very enthousiastic to visit the living lab.
Partners were able to build cooperation and mutual trust by regular partner meetings via Teams and ZOOM. Also the social event that was organised in a digital way was highly appreciated as getting to know each other and knowing about the way other institutions work is also a main goal of being involved in an Interreg project.
A specific highlight of the project was the visit the Dutch Delta commissioner and the Secretary General of the Flemish ministry paid to the living lab in October. A creative solution, using large military tents to host the estimated guests, was found on the Dutch/ Belgian border to meet COVID proof and to share project progress.
We were able to actively engage observers from France, Belgium and The Netherlands by organising digital observer meetings per country. In these meetings also other interested organisations participated, made enthusiastic by the official observer partners. This resulted in a very positive response and even offers for additional support by providing high capacity pumps and staff for exercises. In the UK observers have been informed by mail and phone.