Getting Inspired: Applying other countries’ drought measures to the Netherlands

Abstract

Water shortage is a globally occurring phenomenon whose economic, social, and environmental impacts are the product of the meteorological and hydrological fluctuations and the influence of society on this climate variability. Future climate scenarios by the Dutch weather forecasting service (KNMI, 2014) indicate that it is possible that more severe drought is becoming a natural part of the Netherlands’ climate. Therefore, Water Authorities should increase their resilience to water shortages before 2050. This research applies an international social learning approach to suggest improvements to the drought management of Water Authority Hoogheemraadschap de Stichtse Rijnlanden (HDSR). Seventeen drought measures which are applied in other countries have been collected for HDSR drought management challenges through explorative research. The useability of these theoretically applicable measures is assessed for the context of HDSR practicalities through focus-group discussions. Implementation of the ten resulting measures requires further research and piloting. The measures are extrapolatable to most other Water Authorities in the Netherlands. This research exemplifies an international social learning approach. With the uncertainties of climate change development in mind, such social learning approaches are useful to increase innovation towards higher resilience to drought.