Pathways of delta development
The recently published IPCC report underlines the increasing pressures and challenges that deltas are facing for future development. It is clear that the urgency for deltas worldwide to adapt is greater than ever.

Challenges and opportunities
In an increasingly uncertain future, deltas are facing complex bio-physical and socio-economic challenges (Storyline: The future of our deltas). These include land subsidence, flooding, salinization, land-use change and urbanisation, increasing water demand and freshwater scarcity, degrading biodiversity and ecosystem services. At the same time, economic development and transformation of livelihood need to be ensured and stimulated. With the developed knowledge on external drivers of delta systems and their functioning, researchers at the Water, Climate and Future Deltas hub, together with practitioners and other stakeholders, explore pathways of future delta development.
Exploring pathways
In developing future pathways for deltas, we investigate adaptation strategies, possible challenges and opportunities, and what this means for decision-making in the short, medium and long term. Below we have highlighted some of our (ongoing) projects in various deltas in the Netherlands and internationally. In these projects, we explore adaptation pathways to make deltas resilient to current and future social and bio-physical threats in the long term and promote inclusive development and partnership building.
Projects
Peatlands in the Rhine-Meuse delta
The project on pathways development for the peatland area in the Rhine-Meuse delta aims to develop sustainable pathways for the Green Heart of Holland until 2100.
Mekong delta
Together with external stakeholders, researchers at the Water, Climate and Future Deltas hub aim to reveal forces and strategies that influence climate change adaptation in the Mekong delta in time.
Cauvery delta
The research project 'Pathways towards a sustainable and inclusive Cauvery Delta' tries to understand the interactions between humans, the engineered and the natural systems through an integrated modelling approach and to identify possible pathways and their tipping points.
Diamonds in the Delta
Diamonds in the Delta is an international research-action network that collaborates with community groups in delta cities to identify socially just and sustainable delta adaptation opportunities for the future.