#6: Crosscutting planning instrument on national level (Inter-agency programmes)

The crosscutting planning instrument is based on a joint effort of the central government, the provinces, municipal councils and regional water authorities, in close co-operation with social organizations and businesses.

The instrument aims to provide the basis for pragmatic decisions meant to be backed-up by financed projects to ensure implementation. It can have a specific focus on a water issues, e.g. water supplies or water quality. Normally, it needs to be complemented with other robust instruments to effectively contribute to solving a water-related challenge.

The DELTA Program is a cross-cutting planning instrument in the Netherlands. It was established to enhance the proection from flood risks and ensure the supply of freshwater in the country. It is an example of a flexible approach to

Water management refers to the activities of analysing and monitoring water resources, as well as developing and implementing measures to keep the state of a water resource within what has been negotiated as desirable bounds (Pahl-Wostl, 2015).

Pahl-Wostl, C. (2015). Water Governance in the Face of Global Change—From Understanding to Transformation. Wiesbaden: Springer International Publishing.

, based on the data collected by the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. In 2011, a multi-

"[A]ny person, group or organisation with an interest or ‘stake’ in an issue, either because they will be affected or because they may have some influence on its outcome. Stakeholders may include other government bodies.” (Ridder et al. 2005).

dialogue, technical calculations and assumptions resulted in the definition of five priority areas for flood risks management and fresh water supply, which were effectively implemented starting from the following year. The priorities areas comprehend specific regional vulnerabilities regarding water level, standards for water safety,

Sustainability is defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs” (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). For development to be sustainable, it must take account of social, ecological, and economic factors (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 2015).

 

United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. (2015). Integrating the Three Dimensions of Sustainable Development. A Framework and Tools. Bangkok.

World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future.

in the supply of freshwater and urban renewal

Processes describe policy implementation rather than the development of formal institutions. This focus takes into account that the bottleneck for policy effectiveness is often implementation rather than policy development.

with consideration to potential flooding and heat stress.