New NWO programme - Urbanising Deltas of the World
19 april 2011
In collaboration with STW, KvK-Knowledge for Climate and the Delta Alliance, NWO is currently developing a new programme: Urbanising Deltas of the World. On 12 May, the programme intentions will be explained within the framework of an information meeting on Connecting Sustainable Cities at NWO. On 19 May, the programme will be discussed at the Netherlands Water Partnership with the aim to seek alignment and enhance inter-linkage between research and knowledge institutes and the private sector.
Aim and focus
This new programme, which is being developed under the themes Water and Climate and Connecting Sustainable Cities, aims to contribute to global water and food security and the sustainable economic development in river delta’s worldwide by providing more effective and efficient responses to increasing pressure and rapid change.
The three main foci of Urbanising Deltas of the World are:
A. Enhancing fundamental knowledge on delta systems by the development of smart observations using new technologies and unconventional sensors in data-scarce environments, and the development of methods, theories and computational techniques to unravel these complex coupled environmental and social systems.
B. Developing new approaches and technologies to implement new knowledge in planning and design, and for decision making under uncertainty in a rapidly changing environment.
C. Determining socio-economic conditions for sustainable development of deltas with a special emphasis on countries with weaker governmental systems; improving governance systems and strengthening of institutional development in social, economic and spatial planning sectors.
Integration and synergy
The programme intends to launch a first call later this year in which consortia will be invited to submit proposals for Integrated Projects (IPs). Consortia need to be composed of representatives from research and non-research institutes, from both the North and the South. IPs will need to demonstrate integration and synergy of three perspectives: knowledge and research, developing tools, technologies and perspectives for action and enhancing innovation capacity.
Consultation meetings
The programme is in development in collaboration with STW, KvK-Knowledge for Climate and Delta Alliance. Two consultation/match making events are foreseen in the coming weeks:
- 12 May, afternoon: An information and consultation meeting mainly directed to the research field, organized under the NWO Connecting Sustainable Cities theme. For more information and registration click here.
- 19 May, afternoon: A meeting organized in collaboration with the Netherlands Water Partnership, to enhance the inter-linkages between private sector, research and knowledge institutes and the (non) governmental sector.
Further information
Further announcements will be published on the WOTRO website and invitations will be sent in due time. General information about the theme Connecting Sustainable Cities can be found here.
