Like the Netherlands, Bangladesh has a low-lying delta region and has to deal with a complex safety issue involving its large rivers, a dynamic sea and coastal area and a lack of space. Because of climate change, there is such a risk of potential flooding in the country that action has to be taken.
Given the Netherlands’ experience with the Dutch Delta Programme, Bangladesh started working with the country in 2012. A Dutch consortium, led by organisational consultancy Twynstra Gudde, developed the Delta Plan 2100 to make Bangladesh sustainably climate-proof. This plan was officially approved by the Bangladesh government in September. Implementation will start in October.
Although the Delta Plan does provide an answer for today’s problems, it primarily anticipates future developments and needs. In addition to improving water safety, the plan also addresses sufficient water supply, sanitation, water quality, land reclamation, more transport via inland waterways and irrigation for agriculture. To implement this plan, the Bangladesh Ministry of Planning and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs have once again joined forces.
Over the next four years, a Dutch consortium will be working together with colleagues from Bangladesh to implement the plan. This work will cover such matters as the overall management and setting up of a responsible Delta Plan organisation, along with financing and legislation. The consortium will also take on the first urgent projects, as well as the training, coaching and structuring of the development of stakeholder organisations. Dr Jaap de Heer, partner at Twynstra Gudde, will head up the consortium again.
The consortium has state-of-the-art knowledge and experience in the field of setting strategies and water governance, project and programme management, cross-cultural collaboration and stakeholder management. The consortium comprises Twynstra Gudde, Deltares en Euroconsult MottMcDonald, with subcontractors Wageningen University & Research and CEGIS in the Netherlands and IWM in Bangladesh.