Dutch government warned of rising sea levels

IOL (South Africa), probably via Agence France-Presse: Low-lying Netherlands must spend billions of euros on dike upgrades and coastal expansion to avoid the ravages of rising sea levels due to global warming, experts warned on Wednesday. The government must spend up to €1,5-billion every year to 2100 on safety measures, said a report compiled by a government appointed commission.

"The security challenge is already urgent in a number of areas and will only grow more pressing as the sea level rises..." said the report to be presented to Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. It said "an extra amount of between one and €1,5-billion per year is needed to 2100," adding that an additional €100 to €300-million will be needed to expand the North Sea coast by one kilometre. The Delta commission recommended the large-scale upgrade of dikes protecting the country from the North Sea, and expanding the coast by dumping large quantities of sand.

Predicting a sea level rise of between 0,65 and 1,3 metres by 2100, and up to four metres by 2200, the commission warned of a threat to Dutch fresh water resources as salt water is forced further and further inland. "The rising sea level, declining river drainage in summer, longer dry periods and encroaching salt water via rivers and ground water, puts the country's fresh water under threat," the report said….

The outflow side of the dike at the Mill near Schellinkhout. Shot by GerardM, Wikimedia Commons, under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2