Deltas in Times of Climate Change – Rotterdam 2010

Billions of people live in deltas. They will face rising sea levels, heavy rainfall or, on the contrary, more drought and higher temperatures. How can they deal with these changes? Does climate change offer opportunities to make the delta more attractive? Should they act now to prevent problems in the near future? How can governments, societal groups and business people work together to make their deltas climate proof?

These questions and many others will be at the centre of an international conference "Deltas in Times of Climate Change", to be held from 29 September to 1 October in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. We aim to connect science and practice in the field of climate change and adaptation, and to reinforce delta networks, such as the Delta Alliance, Connecting Delta Cities and the World Estuary Alliance.

The conference offers a platform for policy makers, senior political officials, business people and practitioners from all over the world to share examples of climate adaptation and exchange experiences. Scientists will present research results and debates will be organized about financing climate adaptation, new construction approaches and about the role of cities in adapting to climate change.

This conference sets forth the focus on coastal hazards, risk and vulnerability addressed in the preceeding Storm Surge Congress 2010, 13–17 September in Hamburg, Germany, by zooming in to one of the most vulnerable and populated coastal domains, the global deltas. Both congresses thus complement each other and collaborate in the steering committees.