When building new homes, the long-term consequences of climate change are not taken into account. This is in New advisory report By Delta Commissioner Peter Glass The Ministries of Interior, Infrastructure and Water Management. Glass is responsible for the Delta program to protect the Netherlands from water.

To address the housing shortage, about 1 million homes must be built before 2030. But it now appears that about 820,000 homes will be built in areas at risk of flooding, subsidence, heat or drought.

Glass sees this happening in Randstad, for example. The demand for housing is the greatest there, but at the same time it is an area vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, such as sea level rise. The commissioner takes into account the scenario of a sea level rise of two meters in the year 2100.

Other areas where problems around building new homes are expected are south of Friesland and northwest of Overijssel, around the top of Flevoland. There the land is weak and the risk of flooding is great.

Align building plans with high water hazards

The commissioner calls on the central government to take quick steps to factor climate change risks into building plans, such as rising rivers. In September, the commission has already brought advice about going out.

Glass says urbanization in the Netherlands also needs to be considered. It should be examined whether the investments can be distributed differently in the long run, for example between cities in the upper regions of the east of the country.

Building rules outside dams should also be tightened. These are the areas that lie in front of dams or sand dunes and are therefore less protected from rising water. For example, space must be provided there for adequate drainage or to reinforce flood defenses such as dams and locks.