Vulnerability Assessments in the Netherlands Using Climate Scenarios

The Netherlands is a low-lying country in the delta of the Rhine and Meuse rivers, which discharge water from the
Alpine and Ardennes highlands in Western Europe toward
the North Sea. Throughout the centuries this delta position
has created considerable opportunities for socioeconomic
development, owing to the sedimentation of fertile land, the
use of the rivers for trade and transportation, fresh water
availability for agriculture, etc. But the delta environment has
also introduced pronounced challenges for the population to
adapt to rapidly fluctuating and changing natural conditions,
and to protect from hazards such as storms, floods, and
droughts.