Your Majesties, secretary of state mr. Byrd, distinguished guests, colleagues from Florida and the Caribbean,
It is a great honour to be part of this excellent line-up of keynote speakers. But a little modesty is called for here. My speech will be about Dutch water management. It is a unique example of science in action, which has enabled us to live on an ancient seabed for centuries. However, the real expert in the field of water management is not me. He is sitting here in the room. Your Majesty, if I somehow miss the mark, would you please correct me?
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,
It is good to stand here at Virginia Key. The vibrant city of Miami, backed by the thrilling Everglades, in the sunny state of Florida. Lovely nature, lovely weather. A lively delta, a beautiful place! Looking out over Biscayne Bay, we also see what human intervention is capable of.
Although very different, the similarities between this region of Florida and the Netherlands are immediately apparent. We are people who have built our lives, our homes, and our economies where the land meets the sea. It is where opportunities wash ashore like waves on the beach.
Now, Florida is a magnificent state, with epic natural scenery and rich cities. But floods, storms, and extreme heat hitting Miami in recent years have caused severe threats to the people and infrastructure of the city. Especially in the densely developed areas of downtown and Miami beach this requires response.
In The Netherlands we are coping with similar challenges. Our country is basically the result of high end engineering and water management: about a third of the Netherlands lies below sea level. And today I will share a Dutch story with you. Because we learnt the hard way. Our country is the result of two thousand years of ‘dialogue’ between nature and humankind. For centuries, nature determined the boundaries of our land. Since the early Middle Ages, technology has enabled us to gain ever greater control over our environment. At times, the waters would strike with devastating force. But a response always followed.
Fast forward: in 1953, a catastrophic storm surge caused massive flooding in the southwest of the Netherlands. 1.836 people lost their lives. It marked the beginning of a coordinated, long-term water policy. There was a shared determination: this must never happen again. The solution, at the time, seemed obvious. Higher walls. Bigger dams. Stronger barriers. More concrete. And so we built them.
After 1953, the Netherlands constructed one of the largest coastal protection systems in the world: the Delta Works. To this day, they remain a cornerstone of our flood defence. They are impressive. They are effective. And they save lives. But over time, we learned some other equally important lessons. Higher dikes and strong engineering are not the only answer. Simply, because todays floods are not tomorrows floods.
So, it is time for a new approach. New technology, new innovations. And above all a matter of combining the power of nature and human engineering. Like our Dutch Sand Motor: a huge, artificially created sandbank off the coast. Wind, tides and currents ensure that the sand is dispersed and eventually added to our coastline. Over the years, this makes our coastline more resilient in rough weather: water as leverage! – there is a session dedicated to this concept straight after this plenary session.
We learned to embrace nature-based solutions: giving rivers more room, restoring floodplains. We now design flooding into the system: by designating flood areas and by relocating critical infrastructure away from high-risk zones. At the same time, we must ensure enough water — for people, for nature, for agriculture, and for industry. That means better retention and storage of water. This new approach is a fundamental shift, in how we manage our delta for the years to come. Data is our strongest ally in protection. Dutch sensor technologies and decision-support tools prove that smart infrastructure is the foundation of flood-resiliency.
And while we in the Netherlands excel at prevention, we have much to learn from Florida’s agility. Resilience also means speed by integrating rapid-response capabilities and smart warehousing. Ensuring that when a storm hits, the path to recovery is already set and the vital supply chains remain stable.
Your Majesties, secretary Byrd, ladies and gentlemen,
There is a lot at stake. We have a lot to protect. Both here in Florida and at the other side of the Atlantic. Our challenges are different but similar. Therefore we join hands. We will strengthen our collaboration and knowledge exchange the coming years.
Together, we will build resilient communities for the years to come. That’s why I am happy that so many of the partners that will join in this collaboration are present here today. I am happy to also see provost Joel Hassman Samuels of the University of Miami here. Like independent Dutch knowledge institute Deltares a key player in finding innovative answers to the new reality.
We are here today to turn our shared challenges into shared opportunities. To take Florida-Netherlands business partnerships to the next level, and above all to protect the beautiful environment in which our people live.
Thank you.