This thesis examines the future of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen as a border region within the wider Flemish-Dutch delta, where socio-economic vulnerability and the impacts of climate change converge. Against the background of centuries of struggle against water, and in the face of rising sea levels, this research asks how borders can be redesigned to contribute to a resilient delta.
A combination of literature and spatial research was applied to understand the spatial and administrative impact of territorial borders. It also studied how border regions function in practice and how border residents experience them. The case study is Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, which is cut off from the rest of the Netherlands and Belgium by both the national border and the natural barrier of the Scheldt estuary.
The analytical methods used were translated into three spatial scenarios in which alternative boundary models were tested through design research. These scenarios are based on theories of Re-Bordering (Van Houtum), Borderscapes (Dell’Agnese & Szary) and the State of Exception concept (Agamben), combined with collective management of a Common (Ostrom). From this follows the concept of the Fluid Borderland. The border is no longer a hard line, but a border zone with shared responsibility and more autonomy. The aim is to develop a spatial and administrative design that not only facilitates climate adaptation, but also generates socio-economic opportunities.
The results were translated into an integrated vision of the future in which the border and the Scheldt no longer form barriers. Interventions such as connecting infrastructure, a border park and tidal parks with new, raised primary dykes protect the region from sea level rise. At the same time, connection is created, so Zeeuws-Vlaanderen is no longer approached as a peripheral region. The study invites a debate on the role of spatial planning in border regions and how re-b/ordering contributes to a more resilient, connected and just delta.
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Nitrogen is an essential element of planetary life. Yet, human actions create such a surplus of its derivatives like ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) that the naturally occurring amounts doubled, causing a cascade of environmental and societal problems.
Our research studies dairy farming in North-West Europe with a focus on the Netherlands, as this industry is responsible for most nitrogen-related problems. The starting point of the project is the parliamentary letter ‘Nationaal Programma Landelijk Gebied’ (National Rural Area Program), which offers the alternatives of quitting, transforming or relocating dairy farms in areas where the nitrogen surplus exceeds critical loads. We reevaluated this approach using the methods of extreme scenarios, in-depth stakeholder analysis, as well as layering and clustering areas with high nitrogen deposition, pasture lands and socio-geopolitical issues. This led us to the realisation that a substantial spatial and societal transition is needed in order to reach balance again. The goal of this study is therefore to recalibrate the nitrogen cycle by radically changing current dairy production practices. We created a gradient from quitting to transforming farms and pastures, based on the theories of transitional landscapes and socially just transitions, resulting in a toolbox of eight strategic interventions, as well as a thorough policy framework. We choose a multi-scalar approach to test the new typologies, starting from the Netherlands, looking at the Groningen - Friesland - Drenthe region, further zooming in on the municipality of Ooststellingwerf, showing the phasing of the strategy from a human perspective. Essential lessons learned are the importance of collaboration on all scales, as well as the flexibility and openness towards change, whether it is technological or societal. Finally, based on these findings we extended our zoom to the scale of North-West Europe, giving suggestions to regions with similar problems.
This project describes a possible future based on our interpretation of the parliamentary letter, giving an intriguing input to decision makers on what their policies could mean, hoping to change the discourse regarding nitrogen, shifting its perception from pollution to a valuable resource. Welcome to Nitrotopia! ... Read more