Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director of ADPC, with Deltares Director Asia, Mr. Tjitte Nauta

Stichting Deltares, a national research institute, based in the Netherlands, joined ADPC on Monday 02nd April to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen bonds in the areas of climate resilience (CR) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) between the two organizations. Mr. Tjitte Nauta, Director Asia, Deltares and Mr. Hans Guttman, Executive Director, ADPC, signed the MoU.

ADPC has been working across Asia and the Pacific to promote resilient development plans and use of innovative tools to mitigate the impact of disasters. The heightened impact of climate change on floods is a crucial point of focus for ADPC’s work. Deltares’ plausible expertise on flood risk management and ADPC’s work in the fields of CR and DRR provide a natural point of collaboration between the two.

The focus of the Deltares research activities is on flood risk, sustainable delta planning, delta infrastructure, water and subsoil resources and ecosystems and environmental quality. The organization’s work is e.g. focused on developing innovative tools to benefit the livelihood of those vulnerable to flood risks. One of their projects, CIrcle, demonstrates the organization’s credible advancements in the field of flood risk assessment.

Deltares applies their research in the field of water related hazards through flood forecasting software they develop. While working closely with flood affected people, according to Mr. Tjitte Nauta the Director of Deltares Asia, they encourage people to share information on their experiences of flood impact which can be used to further improve software. “Software by Deltares are able to simulate storms to see the impact it has on infrastructure today”, Mr. Tjitte Nauta explained.

ADPC celebrate MoU signing with Mr. Tjitte Nauta, Director Asia of Deltares

In the past, Deltares has worked with ADPC through Flood risk assessment for Colombo Metropolitan region project funded by the WB. Deltares is currently working with the SERVIR-Mekong program – a unique partnership between NASA and USAID to connect space to village by making publically available data accessible and understandable to policy makers. Successful collaborations in the past motivated discussions of a MoU, as lead by ADPC’s Climate Resilience Director, Dr. Senaka Basnayake, whom recognises the MoU as a way “to strengthen our partnership” between ADPC and Deltares. At the moment Deltares and ADPC work together on the World Bank funded ‘Baseline Analysis of Urban Flood Risks and High Priority Investment Gaps in Indonesian Cities’.

Discussions of future projects with reference to flood risk management, software advancement, knowledge transfer and training programs will continue between ADPC and Deltares to benefit the livelihood of those across Asia and the Pacific.