Green light for Delta Climate Center in Vlissingen
NIOZ joins unique collaboration in Zeeland delta. Worldwide, over 500 million people live in deltas. The livability of these deltas is under pressure because of rising sea levels and deterioration of ecosystems. How do we create sustainable, climate-proof and prospering deltas? That is the question the Delta Climate Center (DCC) will look into. The NIOZ is one of the six founders of the center, which will start operations in Vlissingen in mid-2023. The center will start with a budget of 88 million euros, provided by the Dutch national government and the Dutch province of Zeeland.
Education and research
The DCC will get to work on education and research on water and energy management, and on new forms of food provision. For mbo (secondary vocational education), hbo (universities of applied science) and university students, the DCC develops an ongoing learning line. Besides, there will be new degree programmes at Zeeland-based knowledge institutions. In research, the focus is on the themes of water, energy, food and biological resources. The DCC will also stimulate business development and start-ups concerned with water, food and energy. The Zeeland delta is the ‘living lab’: with various parties, the Delta Climate Center collaborates around solutions to climate and sustainability issues in Zeeland and in delta’s worldwide.
Unique collaboration
The founders of the DCC are the NIOZ, Scalda, HZ University of Applied Sciences, University College Roosevelt, Wageningen University & Research and Utrecht University. NIOZ director Han Dolman is closely involved in the establishment of the DCC:Â "The DCC is special because stakeholders will be involved throughout the research process. Researchers, businesses and societal partners will work together on research questions from the start, and constant discussions and adjustments will take place during this process of co-creation. Such collaboration is necessary in order to properly solve the questions related to the major future transitions of food and safety in the Zeeland delta. It is also truly unique for mbo, hbo, NIOZ and the universities to cooperate in the field of research. The DCC offers great opportunities to strengthen the Zeeland knowledge infrastructure."Â NIOZ will appoint three tenure track researchers who will conduct the research and supervise PhD students along with our co-founders.
Impact for Zeeland
The location of the DCC is the Kenniswerf in Vlissingen. The expected impact for Zeeland is big: new jobs, an expansion of the number of degree programmes, an increase of the number of students, an improved knowledge infrastructure and a positive effect on businesses and start-ups. Research projects are set up and carried out in close consultation with the Zeeland corporate world, social organisations and governments.
The founding of the DCC in Vlissingen is a part of the compensation package ‘Wind in de Zeilen’ from the Dutch national government for not realising a Marine Corps base in Vlissingen. The DCC will start operations in mid 2023. In the upcoming months, work will be done on matters such as appointing an academic director and a business director, housing and the further working out of the plans for education and research.
Waterdunen (photo: image database Laat Zeeland Zien)