Water, climate, and biodiversity are the foundations of life on Earth. Despite their vital functions, these elements face severe pressures, threatening food, health, safety and economies. To address this, Partners for Water and the IUCN hosted “Shaping a Biodiversity-Proof Future” on 1 October 2024 at Omniversum Museon, in The Hague. This event united the international water, food and nature sectors to develop actionable solutions. Explore the next steps for a biodiversity proof future below.
“Biodiversity and ecosystem services form a strong foundation that underpins all the sectors present today. It’s not a ‘nice to have’; it’s at the core,” explained Heleen van den Hombergh from the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Together with co-organizer Liliane Geerling from Partners for Water and moderator Caroline van Leenders from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, she opened the Biodiversity event. Amid the museum’s captivating photos of wild cats, eagles and rhinos, 90 dedicated water, food and biodiversity professionals listened attentively as van Leenders explained that the event is designed not just to inspire but to catalyse action to integrate biodiversity in their work and mainstream it internationally.
Working towards a biodiversity proof future
The majority of the day was dedicated to collaborative workshops in small groups. Participants discussed challenges, identified action points, and equipped each other with the new insights needed to work towards a biodiversity-proof future. Geerling added, “The insights resulting from today’s discussions we will bring to the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16) in Cali, Colombia this October.”
Five themes that impact biodiversity were explored during the day: regenerative agriculture, water related infrastructure, greening finance, transformative change, and biocultural landscapes, including ancestral knowledge in landscape-based approaches. The main takeaways are presented below.
No compromise! This is not a one-off event. We will continue our efforts, because this network is essential to achieve lasting change for a biodiversity-positive future.
Main takeaways for mainstreaming biodiversity
An overarching insight from the sessions was the interconnectedness of biodiversity and climate change. Destroying and degrading ecosystems releases more CO2 emissions than burning fossil fuels. Conversely, the consequences of burning fossil fuels—such as rising global temperatures, increased wildfires, and ocean acidification—threaten habitats and wildlife.
Each session resulted in various outcomes, with two insights recurring across all sessions:
- Collective action: A biodiversity-friendly future requires unified efforts from all stakeholders, including businesses, NGOs, knowledge institutions and governments.
- Localized approach: Working with local people and partners is crucial. Incorporating not only their needs but also their knowledge is essential for achieving positive biodiversity impact.
These recurring outcomes underscore the complexity of biodiversity challenges and the need for integrated, collaborative solutions. To learn more about these subject-specific insights, please continue reading below.
Regenerative agriculture and biodiversity
A sustainable food system should provide sufficient, affordable, and healthy food for everyone, fairly produced and within the Earth’s ecological limits. The current system is far from achieving this goal, but regenerative agriculture can play a crucial role in making food systems more sustainable.
During this session, a collective brainstorm was held. It resulted in acknowledging various challenges and identifying many potential solutions to address these challenges which you can find in illustration 1.
“How we produce our food is probably one of the biggest challenges of the decade and will determine the biodiversity status for the future.” – Marieke Harteveld, Lead agri-food transition at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency
Additionally, useful practices for implementing regenerative agroforestry in a landscape setting were discussed.
Takeaways
- Agroforestry practices, such as implementing edible hedges, can benefit both nature and farmers by addressing soil erosion, water scarcity, reduced biodiversity, climate change and economic vulnerability.
- Understanding community needs and adopting a bottom-up approach is crucial for the successful implementation and adoption of agroforestry practices.
- Patience and long-term thinking are required, as income and returns from agroforestry may come later. De-risking smallholder investments through conservation agreements, collateral, and spreading risk across farmers can help attract investment partners.
Water infrastructure, climate resilience & biodiversity
People often claim that biodiversity is too complex to integrate into water-related infrastructures, like dikes, dams, sluices, and storm-surge barriers, but, ensure that biodiversity is prioritized from the starting point and monitored at the start as well as after implementation, it is achievable. This session encouraged participants to exchange ideas on how to integrate biodiversity into infrastructure projects and explored the key challenges and innovations when monitoring biodiversity in these types of infrastructures.
Takeaways
- Both time constraints and climate change must be considered when planning for water related infrastructures. Infrastructure projects often have short timelines, while restoring or preferably enhancing biodiversity requires long-term thinking.
- Data-driven design is crucial for monitoring biodiversity and creating biodiverse oceans and climate-resilient coastlines and infrastructure, and incorporating data from indigenous communities and historical environmental information should be standard practice.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration is necessary to create and maintain impactful, climate resilient water related infrastructures, with an emphasis on including ecologists in decision-making processes.
Biodiversity must be embedded from the start, not just as an afterthought or decoration.
Greening finance & biodiversity
Ecosystem services are becoming increasingly relevant in the investment world. Of the three types—regulating, provisioning, and cultural ecosystem services —provisioning services are often assigned a higher monetary value, while regulating services are often undervalued despite their importance to human wellbeing. This session explored how recognizing the true value of ecosystem services leads to better investment decisions, what financing nature-positive initiatives means, and why it is needed.
“It is not just about funding restoration projects; we need to fundamentally change business and finance.” – Nicolas Poolen, Green Finance Adviser, WWF
Takeaways
- Provisioning ecosystem services are often easier to invest in than regulating ecosystem services due to their direct market value, but if we want to conserve nature, we need to recognize the true value of regulating ecosystem services.
- Nature’s value appreciates over decades and the localized nature of ecosystem services necessitates targeted investment strategies at the landscape level. That’s why investment strategies for nature require alignment with ecological timescales and local contexts.
- There is a shortage of transition plans rather than a shortage of capital for nature positive investments. This presents a clear opportunity to integrate nature into strategies, aiming to deliver both net zero and nature-positive outcomes for the corporate and financial sectors.
Did you know that the Ecosystem Services Valuation Database (ESVD) can be used as a tool for valuing ecosystem services? Discover more about ESVD.
Discover more about ESVDIf you want to leverage change, take two sectors as your starting point: the financial sector and education
Transformative change and biodiversity
Our food systems undeniably require change, but how can we ensure this change is transformative? This session encouraged participants to explore both general and specific transformative practices in food value chains, alongside strategies for overcoming barriers. The key insights from this discussion provided substantial food for thought and action.
Takeaways
- An important aspect for transformative change is to understand that worldviews and knowledge systems underpin what we value in nature and biodiversity and that there are multiple value perspectives, like nature for nature, nature as culture, and nature for society.
- There should be a fundamental shift in value chain strategy: competition should no longer be solely based on price, quality and availability, but should also incorporate water usage and biodiversity considerations.
- Transition management is complex due to the number of stakeholders involved and their potentially conflicting interests. Every stakeholder group, from government, businesses and NGOs to financial institutions, has a role in the transition process, emphasizing the importance of coordination and timing.
Indigenous knowledge & biocultural landscapes
Did everything used to be better? We all know that’s not always true. However, many ancient practices that we’ve set aside did a better job of respecting nature and biodiversity. A wealth of this knowledge, both ancient and contemporary, is still preserved and practiced by indigenous cultures all around the world. This session on biocultural landscapes discussed how we can incorporate this wisdom, focusing on ancestral knowledge and landscape-based approaches for sustainable development.
Takeaways:
- Reviving biocultural landscapes requires considering the inherent logic of the landscape as a foundation and landscape values. This includes leveraging ethnobotanical knowledge and ecological wisdom and practices from local indigenous cultures.
- Landscape-based approaches are context-specific; scaling up requires being alert to opportunities and cultivating local partnerships.
- Although funding is often siloed, landscape-based approaches demand a holistic perspective, emphasizing co-creation and regeneration.
Nature will bounce back
It is clear that biodiversity extends far beyond environmental benefits and ecosystem health. It forms the foundation of our lives and the resources we depend on. Addressing its decline is of the essence. Wouter Ubbink, former UN Youth Representative on Biodiversity and Food, ended the day with a pledge that left participants with food for thought.
“Water and nature should not be tamed but should be given space instead. Space is where the battle for nature will be fought,” said Ubbink compellingly. In his view, green growth is a myth. So, we need to halt over-exploitation, overproduction and overconsumption. Nature should be embraced and harnessed, not controlled and oppressed. Ubbink: “If we leave it alone nature will bounce back.”
It is time to look humbly in the mirror and question the fundamentals of our economy and society if we want to live in harmony with nature.
Uniting for biodiversity: a call for collective action
This event marks just one step towards a more sustainable and resilient future for both humanity and nature. The insights from these workshops will be carried forward, as we will bring them to the Biodiversity COP16 in Cali, Colombia in October and continue today’s efforts during sessions hosted at the Netherlands pavilion. You can find more details in our full programme here.
Building on this momentum, our new podcast series, Waterproof, will launch on 21 November. It will explore biodiversity and other crucial water themes, including salinisation, the Build-Neglect-Rebuild cycle, locally led development, greening finance and Water-Biodiversity-Food. The series kicks off with one of the crucial elements in creating positive biodiversity impact: Nature-based Solutions. Click here to stay tuned and be notified when the series launches.
Partners for Water and IUCN urge participants and other water professionals to start mainstreaming biodiversity in all their processes and projects and to work together towards a world where biodiversity thrives.
Join the biodiversity conversation
Interested in joining the biodiversity conversation?
Project Advisor for Water-Biodiversity-Food at Partners for Water.
As we look forward to the upcoming event co-organized by Partners for Water, RVO and IUCN on biodiversity, Heleen van den Hombergh explains why nature’s diversity is “extremely important” and extends far beyond just environmental benefits.
Heleen van den Hombergh is an advisor on agricultural-commodities and nature-based solutions at the IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands. She got involved in organizing this event with PFW and RVO because companies that work abroad or have an impact abroad are key to helping preserve biodiversity, which is the IUCN’s greatest concern.
“Biodiversity forms the foundation of our lives, of the resources we all depend on,” explains Van den Hombergh without any doubt in her voice. It is essential for ecosystem health, but also crucial to combat climate change, ensure human well-being, and for economic activities like agriculture, and the water sector. Biodiversity provides vital services such as clean air and water and pollination, and is key for climate mitigation and adaptation.
However, as we all know, it faces threats from habitat loss, climate change, pollution, over-exploitation, and invasive species. Protecting biodiversity is crucial for sustaining life.
Hondsbossche Dunes
In the water sector, the Hondsbossche Dunes in the Netherlands provide a good example of an area with high biodiversity. This project was initiated to offer protection against rising sea levels but also included nature development, such as dune formation and creating habitats for plants and animals. This kind of nature-based solution combines infrastructure with nature restoration and has been exported to other countries, such as those in West Africa, to protect coasts against erosion and flooding. Developing ‘robust nature’ is essential in this context; it means an ecosystem that can sustain itself over time and has high biodiversity, including plants, birds, and grasses that are resilient and can survive under changing conditions.
Without proper care for nature – protecting, supporting, and restoring it – our productivity and food security are at risk.
Agricultural crops
Van den Hombergh works a lot with the sustainable production of agricultural commodities. “Without proper care for nature – protecting, supporting, and restoring it – our productivity and food security are at risk,” she explains, pointing out why preserving biodiversity is also crucial for the stability and yield of agricultural crops.
“Deforestation and loss of vegetation lead to unstable water systems and poor harvests, as has happened with soya in Argentina and the United States.”
Van den Hombergh argues that while promoting conversion-free sustainable agricultural practices in international value chains is vital, we also need to strive for a better balance in our diet, with more plant-based proteins instead of animal proteins.
“The current intensive model does need to change to allow more space for nature and healthy food in the long term. Farmers around the world can be invited to contribute to this transition.”
Sharing knowledge
According to Van den Hombergh, the event is “a unique opportunity for cross-pollination between different sectors: the water sector, the agricultural sector, the financial sector, and transformation thinkers. Participants are offered the chance to look beyond their own field and be inspired by best practices from other sectors.”
An important theme is how biodiversity affects water security and management. She explains that robust nature can help manage water flows, retain water, and prevent sudden shocks such as floods or droughts.
The ‘Room for the River’ programme in the Netherlands has helped prevent flooding by giving rivers more space and restoring natural areas that work like sponges.
The challenge, she acknowledges, is communicating the importance of biodiversity and nature-based solutions. Although there are already many collaborations taking place, the main goal of the event is to “inspire people, show them the latest insights and best practices, and encourage transformative thinking.”
Helene van den Hombergh is a specialist in the fields of biodiversity, agricultural commodities and sustainability, with a particular focus on integrating ecological concerns into business practices and policy. She has worked extensively with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governmental bodies, and the private sector to promote sustainable development strategies that align economic activities with environmental protection.
Biodiversity event
On 1 October, we are organising a biodiversity event together with the International Union for Conservation of Nature in The Netherlands (IUCN).
Join the event: Shaping a Biodiversity Proof Future on October 1, 2024.
NOTE: The event is fully booked, but you can register. You will then be put on the waiting list. Should a place become available, you will receive an e-mail confirming your participation in the event.
Join us for: Shaping a Biodiversity Proof FutureOn 1 October 2024, Partners for Water and the International Union for Conservation of Nature in The Netherlands (IUCN) are organising a biodiversity event at Museon in the Hague.
This event will showcase the value of biodiversity, it will give you insights in overcoming obstacles to combat biodiversity decline and increasing water security and how to mainstream biodiversity within international development and water security programmes.
Visit the eventpage and discover who’s invited, why you should attend and how you can registrate.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to support & weigh in on this crucial cause with us to help shape a sustainable future.
Visit the eventpage: Shaping a Biodiversity Proof FutureTo structurally reduce biodiversity loss, political will is needed at all levels of government to ensure the integration of biodiversity in decision-making
The World Water Forum 2024 (WWF) is a wrap!
The largest international conference in the water sector took place from 18 to 25 May in Bali, Indonesia. Time for a recap of the exciting things that transpired at the Dutch Pavilion.
An important reason for attending the WWF Dutch pavilion was to help position the Netherlands as an expert on global water challenges providing innovative approaches and state-of-the-art solutions to improve water security. In order to achieve this, the pavilion was designed as an open, inclusive and inventive space to make finding new (or strengthening existing) local and international partnerships easy.
The pavilion boasted an extensive programme with three main themes: ‘Water for resilient cities and deltas’, ‘Water for food and energy’ and ‘Clean and safe water for all’. These were some of the highlights from an exciting week at WWF:
Start of a wave
The week kicked off with a bang with the launch of the ‘Indonesian Wave’, part of Wavemakers United. ‘A youth-led intergenerational network that connects initiatives, merges resources and enables collaboration. All the while adapting to local contexts to achieve the Water Action Agenda goal of educating one million children per year.’ explained Sabrina Farah Salsabilla, Chief Marketing Officer at ReservoAir.
Founder of Wavemakers United Tilly Stroo signed a Letter of Intent with the Indonesian Ministry of Public Works and Housing and Wavemakers United to collaborate under the Centre of Excellence for Water and Climate Resilience. ‘Signing this at such a significant platform as the WWF, Indonesia and the Netherlands are demonstrating their continued investment in youth participation. Not just during WWF’s but into the future as well.’
Water envoy in the house
Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, Meike van Ginneken also attended the WWF: ‘At the UN Water Conference in New York in 2023, we agreed to more than 800 water actions. Today, the Water Action Agenda is in full swing with Dutch companies, NGOs and the government participating in many of those actions at the community, local and national levels.
‘I want to congratulate the Indonesian government on bringing together the whole water world here at WWF. It has been a great opportunity to celebrate our long-standing and productive bilateral cooperation with Indonesia.’
A Matter of Perseverance
On the second day of the WWF, we – Partners for Water – hosted a session in collaboration with Water as Leverage. This programme brings together cities, designers, engineers, and financiers to enhance urban resilience to climate change. The goal of this session was to discuss bilateral collaboration with our seven partner countries regarding inclusive delta development.
As improving water security requires perseverance, we consider long-term partnerships with our partner countries to be essential. Amongst other things, we discussed how we can enhance the current approach and how to engage local partners effectively. We also shared insights gained from projects undertaken in our partner countries.
Launch of inaugural report
An exciting event that occurred at the Dutch pavilion was the launch of the first International Panel on Deltas and Coastal Areas (IPDC) report. The report was produced through a collaborative effort and sets out the climate adaptation strategies, processes, and challenges of each IPDC member country. Meike van Ginneken presented the first copies to two esteemed IDPC-members, Indonesia’s Pak Leo Eliasta and Egypt’s Mr. Walid Hakiki.
A special visitor
On the last day of presentations at the WWF, a very special person visited the Dutch Pavilion. Minister Basuki Hadimuljono of Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing stopped by.
‘I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the Minister about the relationship between Indonesia and The Netherlands, particularly focusing on the water sector. I believe this relationship will always be strong, equal and beneficial’, said Nishchal Sardjoe, Senior Water Management specialist at Deltares Indonesia
Thank you
Partners for Water would like to thank all the companies, NGO’s, governments, knowledge institutions and visitors who came and participated at our pavilion. We trust you had a fruitful WWF and hope to see you soon.
A special thanks to everyone who hosted a session at the Netherlands Pavilion 2024:
Bandung Technische Hoogeschool Fonds (BTHF), BESE BV, Danone, Deltares Netherlands, EcoShape Consortium, International Panel on Deltas, Coasts and Islands (IPDC), MetaMeta, Nazava Indonesia, NX Filtration, Partners for Water, Royal HaskoningDHV, UN-Habitat, Simavi, The International Centre for Water Cooperation (ICWC), SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, Valuing Water Initiative (VWI), Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors, WaterWorX (VEI, WereldWaternet and Oasen), Water as Leverage, Water Footprint Implementation, Wavemakers United/Nuffic/The Water Agency, Wetskills Foundation, Yayasan Plan International Indonesia
A glimpse of the NL Pavilion during the World Water Forum 2024
The Singapore International Water Week, held every two years, welcomes global leaders from businesses, governments and academia to discuss innovative water solutions. Taking place from 18-22 June at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.
Click here for more detailed information about participationUnique opportunity
This year’s event features distinct topics such as water technology and coastal and flood resilience and is a unique opportunity for the Dutch water sector to showcase collaborative and integrated experiences on such projects as coastal and urban resilience to participants from the wider Southeast Asian region.
In addition to participating in the pavilion, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Royal Embassy of the Netherlands will host several events to strengthen existing and new partnerships including a welcome drinks and networking reception.
Why join?
By joining us at this event, you will gain visibility in the Netherlands Pavilion with a booth of 2×1 metres with your company logo, photos and text. In addition, 2 people will be on hand to help host your booth and special social media posts with participating companies including logos will be shared across Partners for Water channels. You will also be featured in a dedicated newsletter about SIWW with over 800 subscribers and in an article on the Partners for Water website. Participants will have access to two round table discussions on the exhibition floor.
Participation in the Pavilion and at Singapore International Water Week events will highlight and strengthen the already strong position of the Dutch sector and open up greater business and research and development opportunities.
We hope to welcome you in Singapore.
Visit the event pageInterested in taking advantage of this unique opportunity?
Please send an email to Tessy Miltenburg
E-mail Tessy MiltenburgMission to Singapore International Water Week
Participants who join us at the Netherlands Pavilion in Singapore are automatically part of the mission from Netherlands Enterprise agency to Singapore International Water Week.
Find out more hereTransboundary river management of nine international rivers, frequent cyclones, a 2,650 km shoreline, the dichotomy of water scarcity and abundance, salinisation of groundwater aquifers, and a lack of proper sanitation delineate the intricate water management challenges in Mozambique
These are compounded by the limited operational capacity and broad mandate of water institutes, financial mismanagement, 70% of the population residing in informal settlements, national conflicts, and reliance on funding and subsidies.
In The Hague, over 40 individuals from public and private organisations, knowledge institutions, and NGOs gathered to discuss the bilateral delta collaboration between the Netherlands and Mozambique, forging new connections and uncovering business opportunities in Mozambique’s water and climate sector.
Jaap Kroon from RVO, a project advisor for the Partners for Water programme remarked, “It’s been a while since our last water sector meeting, and given the turnout, it was time to organise another. I’m happy to see everyone here.”
As the world evolves, so do the challenges
The Netherlands’ enduring cooperation with Mozambique started nearly 50 years ago after the independence of the country. Water has been a main topic of the cooperation. The delta cooperation focuses on the coastal city of Beira and aims to make Beira a climate-resilient city and enhance the well-being of its inhabitants. As the world evolves, so do the challenges. Ivo van Haren from the Dutch Embassy in Maputo shared, “Our current policy, ‘doing what we know best,’ focuses on a smaller area for greater efficiency. We’re targeting water and food security programmes, seeking synergies and collaborating across sectors and with donors to address Mozambique’s complex issues.”
Challenges in Mozambique encompass frequent policy shifts, economic fluctuations, climate change impacts like cyclones and floods, financial mismanagement, and water resource management issues, including transboundary water coordination and infrastructure capacity. Coastal protection and institutional capacity are also significant concerns, alongside the financial sustainability of water and sanitation systems.
Delta cooperation since 2011
Since 2011, the Netherlands has engaged in various projects through the delta cooperation, focusing on water governance, drainage systems, coastal protection, and social inclusion. The impact of climate change, particularly the increased risk of cyclones and the aftermath of cyclone Idai in 2019, has catalysed significant developments.
Real-world impact and co-creation
Maarten Gischler, delta coordinator and senior water advisor at BZ, reflected on the cooperation journey, highlighting the shift from isolated projects to a more integrated approach in Beira, focusing on real-world impacts and co-creation with the local government institutions and communities.
“In the Netherlands, we live in a world of master plans, feasibility studies and projects. People in Beira, especially the poorer people that are inexistent on any map or registered in any administration, live in the real world. A world in which they sleep on the table during territorial rains. During the past thirteen years of the partnership with Mozambique, and specifically with Beira, we have made progress in ensuring that 250,000 individuals will sleep safely during severe weather events. But assembling the puzzle piece by piece with governments, businesses, NGOs, and the local community has refined our approach to working with and for the people of Beira. It’s about co-creating with and for people. Ultimately, our work is about people. And that is something we should remind ourselves of every day.”
It’s about usage, not about quality
The Beira Masterplan, criticised for being more of a “shopping list” than a strategic guide, underscores the need for a coherent strategy that aligns various initiatives. “The shopping list has been on the table for the last 13 years. So it’s not in the quality of the plan, but in the use of the plan that makes it relevant.”
200 million dollars of new water infrastructure
The city of Beira, comparable in size to Rotterdam, faces the challenge of operating and maintaining new water infrastructure worth 200 million dollars in the coming 3 years, with a municipal annual budget of 0.3% of Rotterdam’s annual budget. Community involvement in climate change awareness, maintaining drainage systems, and financial sustainability through improved local revenue generation are crucial in sustainable development of these infrastructures.
Focus points Delta cooperation in Beira
Summarising, the main focus points of the Netherlands-Mozambique cooperation in Beira have been:
- Climate resilience: Enhancing the city’s resilience to climate change, particularly in preparing for and responding to cyclones and flooding.
- Water governance: Improving water management systems, including drainage, to prevent flooding and ensure sustainable water use.
- Social inclusion: Engaging local communities in the maintenance and decision-making processes related to urban infrastructure, ensuring that interventions are inclusive and beneficial to all, especially the marginalised informal sector.
- Nature-based Solutions (NBS): Implementing NBS for coastal protection and urban water management, favouring ecological solutions over traditional concrete barriers.
- Capacity building: Strengthening local institutions and building the capacity of local actors to manage and sustain the implemented projects.
Financial sustainability: Enhancing local revenue generation mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of infrastructure investments and maintenance.
Promising opportunities for future cooperation
Some promising opportunities for future cooperation and business can be found in:
- Integrated planning: Ensuring that all interventions are part of an integrated master plan that is realistic, strategic, and adaptable to changing circumstances. This plan should bridge the gap between formal and informal sectors and consider the city’s overall ecological and socio-economic context.
- Community engagement: Deepening community involvement not just in implementation but also in planning and decision-making processes. This can enhance the sense of ownership and ensure that projects are more attuned to the needs of the residents.
- Monitoring and evaluation: Establishing robust mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the impact of various projects. This can provide valuable feedback, allow for course corrections, and ensure that the initiatives deliver the intended benefits.
- Financial models: Developing innovative financial models that can support the sustainability of infrastructure projects, including exploring public-private partnerships, microfinancing, and other funding mechanisms.
- Knowledge sharing: Facilitating the exchange of knowledge and best practices not only within Mozambique but also with other countries facing similar challenges. This can foster innovation and provide new insights into effective climate resilience strategies.
- Scalability and replication: Ensuring that successful projects are scalable and replicable in other parts of Mozambique and similar contexts, thereby maximising the impact of the cooperation
In the last session ‘round table discussion on opportunities for the Dutch water sector’, many of the participants shared their experiences on several of the issues that were discussed at the Mozambique water sector meeting, mainly on working with local communities and private sector. During lunch many of the discussions continued and information on each other’s activities in Mozambique were shared and opportunities for collaboration were explored.
Contribute with help of the Partners for Water subsidy scheme
Do you want to contribute to a climate resilient and sustainable Mozambique? And do you have an innovative technology, methodology or an innovative prototype in the field of water management? It can be challenging to independently introduce and market innovative water applications abroad. Partners for Water – Innovations for Water Security Foreign Deltas, Delta Cities and River Basins (PVW-IVWW) is a grant scheme that offers participants the opportunity to research the feasibility of their innovative applications abroad as well as to test and modify them.
Interested in the Partners for Water subsidy scheme? You are encouraged to apply from July 2024 to explore funding opportunities.
Taking place in Bali, Indonesia, from 18-24 May 2024, the World Water Forum is the largest international conference in the water sector attracting a range of stakeholders
Including governments, multilateral institutions, academia, civil society and the business sector. Held every three years, it presents an opportunity for sharing knowledge, experiences and best practice on a variety of water related topics.
What we offer
Are you a Dutch company or organisation aiming to work or already working in the international water sector? If so, please join us at the Netherlands pavilion at the World Water Forum. Hosted by Partners for Water, the 75m2 exhibition space will include network areas and room for presentations. It will attract international customers and potential partners who will learn more about the innovative approaches and state-of-the-art solutions that the Dutch water sector has to offer.
How registration works
Registration is now open to host a session in the Netherlands Pavilion. If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please email Ylva Veldhuis. You will receive an email by the end of March indicating whether your submission has been accepted.
Further details
Upon acceptance, you will receive a designated time slot in advance. Host your innovative inspiring panel discussion or workshop for a maximum of thirty individuals. For audio and visual requirements, we use a Silent Disco System and offer two microphones along with a presentation screen. A technician will be present onsite to assist. The space is set up in a theatre presentation style.
- Location: Netherlands Pavilion
- Date: Monday 20 May until Saturday 25 May 2024
- Email: For more information, please contact Ylva Veldhuis
What does the future hold for international water innovation? Last week, over 20,000 water professionals gained insights into the promising answers to this question at Aquatech 2023 in Amsterdam.
Many visited the NL Lounge, which was hosted by Partners for Water (PfW) and was part of the NL Pavilion. One thing is clear: the future of water innovation looks very exciting.
Kick-off
Enthusiasm was in the air when Marieke Leenhouts from Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) inaugurated the NL Pavilion at Aquatech 2023 on Monday 6 November. Together with NWP and Water Alliance, Partners for Water co-hosted the NL Pavilion and facilitated the NL Lounge. Over 23 exhibitors were ready to showcase their innovative water technologies and solutions in the inviting Dutch area amidst the vast international expo. “Today is the start of a promising week,” Leenhouts said, “The programme is packed with inspiring talks, engaging network lunches and valuable delegation visits, without forgetting the free drinks during Wednesday’s networking event in the NL Lounge.” The stage has been set; let the unveiling of water innovation begin.
Marieke Leenhouts NWP, photo by Ruben May
Aquatech Innovation Award
Earlier that morning, three Dutch companies were recognised with the Aquatech 2023 Innovation Award for their contributions to water innovation. Software developer Factorylab received an award in the category ‘Water Supply’ for their ClipR temperature sensor and product developer Acquaint was awarded in the ‘Transport, Process & Control’ category for their inline inspection dashboard.
Various Dutch exhibitors showcasing their innovations in the NL Pavilion, photo by Ruben May
The overall Innovation Award was received by REDStack BV, who were recognised in the categories ‘Wastewater Treatment’ and ‘Innovation Not To Market’ for their Blue Energy Technology. With membrane stacks they generate renewable energy out of contacting flows of fresh and salt water. Pieter Hack, founder of REDStack, honoured the NL Lounge with a presentation about their innovative technology. Hack remarked: “At the end of the day, we rely on the Earth’s five available energy sources: solar, geothermal, wind, biomass and hydropower. So the question isn’t if our Blue Energy technology will become mainstream, but rather when it will happen.”
Incoming missions
Delegations from Guinea, France, Peru, Brazil, India, Oman, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain and Chile visited the NL Lounge. Additionally, Partners for Water hosted two platform meetings —one for India and one for Vietnam. These incoming missions served to strengthen the relationship between the Dutch water sector and its international counterparts, leading to fresh perspectives on water-related business opportunities overseas. Willem Timmerman, First Secretary at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Vietnam, remarked: “Vietnam aspires to become a high-income country by 2025 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Currently, the nation is facing significant water and climate challenges. However, there is a strong willingness to invest in high-quality solutions, resulting in valuable business opportunities for the Netherlands”
Various delegations networking at the NL Lounge, photo by Ruben May
Enlightening presentations
“Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed leak identification from a reactive to a proactive process,” declared Robert Lodewijk. The founder of AI company Hulo gave an engaging presentation about the potential of AI in water systems. Lodewijk continued: “By utilising AI in conjunction with pressure and flow sensors, we can detect, localise and quantify leaks with the highest possible accuracy.”
“We integrate data from diverse atmospheric and soil sensors into a single forecasting system. Through a user-friendly dashboard, farmers receive severe weather warnings and irrigation advise,” shared Lisa Verschuren, from FutureWater. She presented MAGDA, an elaborative weather forecasting system and explained how this data empowers farmers to anticipate and prepare for extreme weather conditions.
Participants listening to the presentations, photo by Ruben May
These presentations offer just a snapshot of the numerous insightful discussions that took place over the course of the week. Topics ranged from AI and robotic solutions to water energy consumption and socio-technical integration, all woven together by a shared goal: to advance global water security through innovative solutions.
Funding opportunities
“For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), covering working capital needs when exporting can be challenging. That’s where we come in,” explained Marc Cabret from impact investment organisation Invest International. Alongside his colleague Joris Kreulen, he presented the organisation’s financial solutions. Kreulen added, “We offer Dutch and Dutch-linked SMEs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals tailor-made and blended funding solutions for export, investment and value chain needs .” Invest International is not the only supporter of the water sector. Earlier in the week, Hugo de Vries of Partners for Water highlighted in a discussion on RVO support instruments: “Numerous innovations addressing global water challenges are being developed within the Dutch water sector. The PfW subsidy scheme can play a supportive role in accelerating these innovations.”
Interested in the Partners for Water subsidy scheme?Young water experts
Undoubtedly, the youth hold the key to our future. That is why Wavemakers United (WU) and the Young Expert Programmes (YEP) are dedicated to constructing a global impact community and fostering connections among young professionals in the water sector. Partners for Water was pleased to contribute by hosting a facilitated networking lunch in the NL Lounge for young water experts. Young professionals from various sectors within the water sector came together to discuss the future of water and to listen to an inspiring presentation on the work of YEP and WU.
Young Professional Experts discussing the future of water collaboration, photo by Abe Jonker
“We all have varied expertise and come from different backgrounds. Progress towards a sustainable and water-secure world happens when we find each other and aim for mutual learning and understanding,” remarked one of the young professionals. It was not only an outreach to the participating water sector but also beautifully encapsulated the essence of the networking event.
NL Lounge
From early morning until late afternoon, the NL Lounge was abuzz with the lively chatter of busy water professionals. Over cups of coffee crafted by skilled baristas, new business ideas were introduced, international connections formed, discussions held and thoughts exchanged on the future of water and innovation. The journey towards a sustainable water world is progressing incrementally – and the visitors of the NL Lounge certainly took a collective step forward.
Networking at the NL Lounge, photo by Abe Jonker
We reflect on a fruitful week and extend our heartfelt thanks to all our collaborative partners and visitors for their enthusiasm and commitment to advancing a sustainable and secure water future.
What does it take to implement and scale up Nature-based Solutions (NBS) in the global water sector?
This was the central question at the ‘Scaling & Improving Together – The next steps in Nature Based Solutions’ conference. The much-anticipated NBS professionals event was held on 22 June at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) in The Hague.
One of the frequently cited success factors was making sure implementation and scaling-up processes are inclusive and collaborative.
Enthusiastic panel discussions
“Every country has its own challenges, yet we all face similar problems. For example, too much water in one place and not enough in another. Together, we can develop solutions that benefit us all.” Said Sergio Lopez, the executive coordinator at the Argentinian Ministry of Public Works, getting to the heart of the matter. He and his fellow officials from Chili and Indonesia talked enthusiastically about their recent field trips to several Dutch NBS projects as part of a delegation from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and national governments visiting the Netherlands ahead of the event.
It was so interesting to hear the perspectives from overseas delegates. It is wonderful to see their enthusiasm, openness to learn and commitment towards implementing NBS.
Inspiring plenary presentations
The lively buzz in the room fell silent as keynote speakers Bregje van Wesenbeeck (Deltares) and Eva Pfannez (OOZE) took turns inspiring the 150 attendees with their vision on integrating NBS into spatial design. “We are in energy, infrastructure and agriculture transitions”, Bregje says, “but we’re taking on each transition individually. We need solutions that support all of these transitions together. NBS meets this ‘multifunctionality’ criterion.”
Eva emphasised the versatility of NBS by demonstrating how the Indian city of Chennai plans to face both flooding and water shortage by storing excess water in aquifers. A pilot project on a school site in the centre of Chennai provides valuable lessons learnt: “For instance, we now know that to mitigate risk, we need to incorporate the cost of client management, capacity building and awareness raising.”
Bregje supported this observation and pointed out the added significance of collaboration. “It helps to have diverse people at the table. Different people offer different perspectives and solutions. This encourages us to let go of tunnel visions.”
Valuable breakout sessions
Fortunately, the event featured plenty of diverse perspectives. The NBS professionals were given the opportunity to break out into small groups to delve deeper into the relevant themes and discuss them together. These were the key outcomes of those breakout sessions:
- NBS are likely to be an outcome of integrated and inclusive processes during project initiation.
- The IUCN NBS Standard can help to effectively design, implement and scale up NBS.
- An inclusive, bottom-up approach inspires more ownership, creativity and fun.
- Some stakeholders might seem more important than others, but in the decision-making process, you’ll need all of them.
- When implementing NBS, nature should be able to do its work. It should be managed as little as possible.
- Enhancing biodiversity is as important as improving the water safety for inhabitants.
Make sure all people from the designated area benefit from your solution. They’ll want to know what’s in it for them. And you should be able to answer that.
Informal networking
As the final speaker concluded his remarks, the power of collaboration and the value of diverse voices were enthusiastically embraced. The attendees then continued to share their insights and look for collaborative opportunities. They did this at either the informal social gatherings or at the so-called ‘country tables’, which were set up for participants interested in water sectors in specific countries.
When the time came for the participants to head home, there was a collective sense of confidence. The NBS community came together, connected and listened to each other. Now it’s up to everyone to continue doing so. With the evident determination, innovative ideas and enough people at the table, this goal certainly is attainable.
I love the fact that such a diverse group of people came together today. And I think everyone here is aware that we all need to work together.
Questions about the event or about Nature-based Solutions?
Please sent an e-mail to administratiepvw@pvw.nl, or reach out to Matthijs Zijlmans.
Partners for Water is a Dutch government programme enhancing water security internationally in long-term cooperation with local partners and the Dutch water sector. By facilitating strategic planning and support in the early stages of innovation, the programme aims to contribute to systemic change for sustainable water management and infrastructure. This is how we initiate impactful changes for a better living environment.
