"Living with Water"

Dutch Ambassador Renée Jones-Bos Discusses approach to water management at APA conference in LA

News article | April 12, 2012

(San Francisco, CA) — Dutch Ambassador to the US, Renée Jones-Bos, will visit Los Angeles to present the closing keynote speech at the American Planning Association’s Annual Conference.

Focusing on the Dutch approach to water management and climate adaptation, the Ambassador will share best practices from the Netherlands, highlighting an important evolution toward a new paradigm.

As Ambassador Jones-Bos says, “Our old ‘higher dikes’ approach is no longer sustainable or affordable. Whether we like it or not, we are learning to adapt, to live with water, and not to always fight against it. Our collective DNA is mutating, away from flood resistance at any cost to flood accommodation wherever possible.”

With 60% of the Dutch population living at or below sea level, the Dutch have a strong track record in flood protection, water management, and sustainable urban design. Looking beyond its own borders, the Netherlands turns to its global partners to share this expertise and to learn from their examples.

Dutch and American experts have been working closely together in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina. In fact, the Delta Urbanism / Sustainable Coastal Cities Symposium at APA Conference grew out of Dutch Dialogues – a collaboration between the APA, the Netherlands Embassy in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans-based architecture firm, Waggonner & Ball.

Through a series of workshops in Louisiana, Dutch and American engineers, urban designers, architects, and city planners explored the application of this new Dutch approach to water management in the context of New Orleans. These workshops resulted in jointly-developed proposals for a more flood-proof, resilient, and attractive city.

As both the Netherlands and California may be impacted in similar ways by projected climate change impacts, a joint research cooperation on adaptation and resilient planning and design could yield equally valuable results.

While in California, Ambassador Jones-Bos will meet with members of the Holland Hollywood Connection, a network of professionals linking the entertainment communities in the Netherlands and the US, and local Dutch business leaders. The Ambassador will also attend a luncheon with members of the Los Angeles architecture community and others.

Media Opportunity

April 17th, 12:00-1:00 pm

Closing Keynote Speech, APA Conference, Los Angeles Convention Center

The Ambassador will be available from 1:15-2:15pm for questions and interviews.

Note: Media badges are available to members of the press in the media office at the Convention Center (Room 510).

Two Countries, One Spirit

For more than 400 years, the Netherlands and the United States have been joined by the values of freedom, justice and an entrepreneurial spirit. A vibrant economic force, the Netherlands is also the third largest investor in America and a reliable trade and investment partner to the U.S. The Royal Netherlands Embassy, Dutch Consulates General and Honorary Consuls in the U.S. promote strong bilateral relations between the United States and the Netherlands in the areas of peace and stability; international law; energy and climate; water management; international human rights; and creative industries. The Netherlands and the United States:Two countries, one spirit united by values, history and a vision of the future.

More information: Key Topics / Water - The Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington DC