‘Water is life: we must remember that’
Drought makes our living and working environment vulnerable, sees meteorologist and climate specialist Reinier van den Berg. He is calling for radical choices to safeguard the liveability of our future. To start with: retaining water, instead of draining it as quickly as possible.
‘The weather has been something that has fascinated me since I was a child. As a meteorologist, I have been able to make my hobby my work. But even more interesting is the 'weather average' over a sustained period, the climate. There has been a lot of fuss about this in recent years. News headlines about the climate crisis stand out, specifically the impact human behaviour has on our environment.’
‘As far as I'm concerned, the vulnerability of the environment cuts to the core. For that reason I decided to study Environmental Hygiene in Wageningen, forty years ago. What still motivates me in my work is how to get nature back in balance, so that we can regain some quality of life.’
Climate change makes water vulnerable
‘Water plays a significant role in the vulnerability of our living and working environment. Water is life: we are made of it and are dependent on it. Firstly, climate change causes problems with water quantity. On the one hand, we are confronted with extreme rainfall and flooding. Conversely, we also have periods of extreme drought.’
‘The impact of this has far-reaching consequences. Weeks and months can pass before the water level is back to normal. And drought can even bring about actual damage. If there is too little groundwater the water quality will deteriorate, as a number of substances are less diluted.’
‘There is often little time for the transition from extremely wet to extremely dry weather’
From extreme rainfall to extreme drought in one fell swoop
‘There is often little time for the transition from extremely wet to extremely dry weather. A sucker punch like that, from one extreme to the other, is what we call 'hydroclimate whiplash'. We have experienced that very recently in the Netherlands. After 2024's rainfall records, when plenty flooding was recorded, the spring of 2025 started with uncharacteristically dry weather, right from March.’
‘You might think that there was still enough water in the ground from the previous year's downpours. However, in April the water boards instituted bans on irrigating grassland due to the lack of groundwater; in the Netherlands, the idea has always been to drain the water into the sea as quickly as possible.’
Saving water and providing space
‘If we are to adapt to drought, we will have to be more frugal in our water use, in my opinion, both at home and at work, not least in agriculture. And we also need to retain water, rather than draining it as quickly as possible. A good starting point would be to improve biodiversity. Rich soil is better equipped to act as a sponge.’
‘Furthermore, green space offers shade and cool during an extended period of drought. There must also be more space to store water. That has already been done successfully with the larger rivers, but smaller rivers and brooks could, for instance, be allowed to meander more. The most rigorous solution would be to use water-retention basins. You could, for example, combine them with heat retention.’
‘I think that the Netherlands and Denmark could learn a lot from each other’
Sharing knowledge with Denmark
‘I think it would be a good idea if Dutch policymakers find ways to collaborate with colleagues from Denmark, for instance. As in a number of other areas, Denmark has comparable water issues. Over the past decade, for example, rainwater tunnels and 'sponge parks' have been created in Copenhagen. If the heavens open, these can absorb a great deal of water, which can then be released during dry periods. I think that the Netherlands and Denmark could learn a lot from each other, perhaps by jointly organising a water summit meeting.’
Radical choices for a liveable future
‘The Dutch Delta Works are in place to guard against the worst-case scenario: a once-in-10.000-years storm. I think we should take that approach in climate policy, too, and take the KNMI's climate scenarios seriously. We must also focus on the scenarios for high emission levels (in wet and dry conditions) in which, by 2100, an average summer will be as dry as an extremely dry summer now.’
‘These scenarios seem increasingly plausible to me in view of the patterns observed over the past few years. More to the point: this is the safe option. Let's not just adapt to drought: let's aim to prevent it. By making radical choices as a counterweight to our emissions. We really need to roll up our sleeves and create a liveable future.’