Short video message by Vice-Minister Tineke Huizinga at the H209 Waterforum, Liberty Science Centre
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Ladies and gentlemen, 400 Years ago Henry Hudson had to sail 4000 miles across the ocean to reach New York. Nowadays life is much easier. I can use modern technology to be here almost life with you to emphasize personally how important I consider the H209 Conference for the relationship between our country and the US. There is no doubt that our climate is changing. However successful measures to limit the impact of human activities on the global climate may become, the United States and the Netherlands face the same challenge: how to adapt to those changes. In my vision waterplays a crucial role. Water is a primary transmitter of climate change impacts on societies and the environment. The conclusions of the world water fora in Istanbul and Stockholm support my conviction that water management isa crosscutting issue that is essential to meet the challenges in the fields of agriculture, health, energy and urban development. The celebration of 400 years US Dutch relations coincides with the Climate Summit in Copenhagen at the end of this year. Mymessage is that water management can’t be missed in national adaptation strategies. We should create platforms to share knowledge and best practices with countries that deal with similar issues. The main knowledge institutes in the Netherlands initiate such a platform on vulnerable low-lying deltas under the title “Delta Alliance”. I hope that other countries will join soon.
In the bilateral relations, such as those between the Netherlands and the United States, we need to team up as well. Over the past years, our relationship has become been very close on all water management issues. My priority is to maintain and further strengthen our cooperation in the coming years, with a special focus on water and adaptation to climate change.
Therefore I welcome the initiative of Senator Landrieu for more intensive knowledge sharing between Louisiana and the Netherlands. Of course we continue our valuable relationship with the US Army Corps of Engineers and I give full support to the cooperation between American and Dutch Universities in the fields of disaster management and urban development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
You are now gathered in the H209 conference, a prime example of the exchange of knowledge and ideas on adaptation to climate change. Your conference focuses on New York and the Netherlands, two large and densely populated but vulnerable coastal areas. Without any doubt, adaptation to climate change is a big challenge in these coastal areas. But it is equally important for you to realize that it creates valuable opportunities. When I initiated the Dutch Delta Commission, this was an important notion I gave to the chairman professor Cees Veerman, who is your chairman today and tomorrow. Adaptation to climate change gives us the opportunity to redevelop our urban environment to give us a better quality of life.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This Conference is not meant to be a one-time event. I consider it as a step in our long-term effort to create and use opportunities to help and inspire each other with knowledge and experience. I am convinced that this Conference will help you to find better solutions. Solutions that not only make American and Dutch coastal cities and waterfronts safer, but make them a better place to live. I look forward to hear more about the outcome of your discussions.
I trust you will have an inspiring conference.
Thank you very much.