This National Climate Adaptation Implementation Programme reveals the urgency regarding climate adaptation, with a more structural, fundamental approach, defined goals, clearly defined responsibilities, sufficient capacity and structural financing. This Programme is based on the following bullet points: paying more attention to the human aspects of climate change, raising awareness and acceptance of climate risks and of the costs of climate policies; providing clear standards that are future-proof; providing structural rather than incidental financing for climate adaptation and increasing cooperation between financial sector and market parties; creation of expert pools, increasing regional cooperation, and the involvement of the educational sector. This Programme's goal is to accelerate climate resilience in the Netherlands and it is implemented by three starting points, based on recommendations of scientific committees and national and European strategies: an approach more systemic and more intensive, by taking climate change into account in any investments in construction, management, maintenance and replacement projects in the country; smarted climate adaptation, by sharing knowledge and ensuring that this knowledge is applicable and accessible to everyone; a more inclusive approach, in order involve everyone in the transition phase, requiring active cooperation with market parties and residents. The Programme identifies the following five priorities: developing concrete adaptation targets; increasing accessibility and applicability of knowledge products; improving attention to climate justice; mainstreaming adaptation to all policies; exploring opportunities to expand financing mechanisms.
This Programme covers these four domains and focuses on key challenges and targeted actions regarding climate adaptation: water; agriculture, nature and the environment; people and culture; living and working. The key challenges of the domain water are the following: protection against flooding, high and excess water, extreme precipitation; addressing drought issue and groundwater shortage, and improving water sewerage systems in the cities; increasing green and blue measures, by creating green public areas and water surface in the cities; strengthening water availability and creating a future-proof freshwater supply, by improving retention and storage of water; improving water quality, by reducing salt concentrations and pollutant agents in the surface water. The key challenges and the actions regarding agriculture, nature and the environment are the following: agricultural development for a climate-resilient agriculture, through the monitoring of climate adaptation in agriculture; protection of ecosystems, by increasing research programmes and targeted studies; preparing hazardous industries and business involved in hazardous substances management for the climate risks. Challenges and actions of the other domains include: heath-proof cities; staying healthy in times of climate change; protection of cultural heritage; focusing on green-climate adaptive new construction; strengthening measures for climate-resilient housing for the whole population; creating green and healthy working landscapes, with strong and resilient infrastructure and climate-adaptive waterways.