Table 1: Terminology Delta Programme

Term / Description
Delta Programme / Dutch national policy programme in which the central government, provinces, municipal councils and water boards work together, involving social organisations, and the business community. The objective is to protect the Netherlands from flooding and to ensure adequate supplies of freshwater for generations ahead (Delta Commissioner 2011).
Delta Commissioner / Directs the implementation process of the Delta Programme, and is responsible for preparing the annual report on progress of the Delta Programme and the steps that will be taken in the year ahead. The Delta Commissioner acts as a government commissioner, under the direct responsibility of the co-ordinating cabinet minister, i.e. in 2014 the Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment.
Central staff bureau Delta Programme / Civil servants of responsible ministries involved in annual Delta Programme progress report, developing guidelines (a.o. on assessment criteria and on adaptation concepts), and coordination among sub-programmes.
Delta subprogram / The Delta program is divided in 10 subprograms; 4 national subprograms and 6 regional subprograms. These subprograms operate relatively independent and can design their own sub-bodies and responsibilities for the implementation as well as commission research. For every subprogram a high level administrative controller is appointed to oversee activities.
Delta Decisions / The Delta Decisions serve to structure the Delta Programme as a whole. These decisions (five in total) represent the main choices for the approach to water safety and the freshwater supply in the Netherlands. The Delta Decisions guide the measures that the Netherlands will be implementing for the short and long term. In September 2014, the Delta Programme will publish its proposals for the Delta Decisions so that they can be embedded into the next National Water Plan (2015).
Delta scenarios / All the sub-programmes base their work on the same possible future situations regarding climate change and socio-economic developments: the four Delta Scenarios (Bruggeman et al. 2011). The scenarios combine the climate scenarios of the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) with the socio-economic scenarios of partner research institutes.
Guidelines Delta Programme / Guidelines on concepts and implementation of the Delta Programme, including adaptation tipping point, adaptation pathways (te Linde and Jeuken 2011) and adaptive delta management (van Rhee 2012)
Adaptive delta management / A new planning approach adopted by the Delta Programme to achieve robust and flexible pathways for adapting the Dutch delta to climate change. It aims to ensure that necessary measures are taken, whilst at the same time keeping options open for measures that may be required in the future (van Rhee 2012). The scientific basis for adaptive delta management lies in the concepts of adaptive planning (e.g. Kwakkel et al. 2012; Ranger et al. 2013), adaptation tipping points (Kwadijk et al. 2010) and adaptation pathways (Haasnoot et al. 2012).
Multi-layer safety / A three-layer flood safety concept that requires that in addition to (1) flood prevention, attention must be paid to limiting the consequences of a flood by (2) spatial organisation and (3) disaster management (Dutch central government 2009).
Innovative flood defence / Flood defence structure that offers additional benefits next to meeting safety standards. Examples include dykes that may overtop yet will not breach, or sediment solutions enhancing nature or landscape values (e.g. Hartog et al. 2009; Loon-Steensma et al. 2012)
References

Bruggeman W, Haasnoot M, Hommes S, te Linde A, van der Brugge R, Rijken B, Dammers E, van den Born GJ (2011) Deltascenario's. Verkenning van mogelijke fysieke en sociaaleconomische ontwikkelingen in de 21ste eeuw op basis van KNMI’06 en WLO-scenario’s, voor gebruik in het Deltaprogramma 2011 - 2012. 1205747-000. Deltares, Delft, NL

Delta Commissioner (2011). Delta Programme 2012. Working on the delta. Acting today, preparing for tomorrow (English version). Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Dutch national government

Dutch central government (2009). National Water Plan. Ministry for Transport and Public Works, Thieme Deventer

Haasnoot M, Middelkoop H, Offermans A, Beek E, Deursen W (2012) Exploring pathways for sustainable water management in river deltas in a changing environment. Climatic Change 115(3-4):795-819. 10.1007/s10584-012-0444-2

Hartog M, Loon-Steensma JMv, Schelfhout H, Slim PA, Zantinge A (2009) Klimaatdijk. Een verkenning. Kennis voor Klimaat. Grontmij Nederland bv, Wageningen UR, Deltares, Wageningen, NL

Kwadijk JCJ, Haasnoot M, Mulder JPM, Hoogvliet MMC, Jeuken ABM, van der Krogt RAA, van Oostrom NGC, Schelfhout HA, van Velzen EH, van Waveren H, de Wit MJM (2010) Using adaptation tipping points to prepare for climate change and sea level rise: a case study in the Netherlands. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change 1(5):729-740

Kwakkel JH, Walker WE, Marchau VAWJ (2012) Assessing the efficacy of dynamic adaptive planning of infrastructure: results from computational experiments. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 39(3):533-550

te Linde A, Jeuken A (2011) Working with tipping points and adaptation pathways - a guideline (in Dutch). 1202029-000-VEB-0003. Deltares, Delft, NL

Loon-Steensma JMv, Schelfhout HA, Eernink NML, Paulissen MPCP (2012) Exploration of innovative dike concepts in the Wadden Region (in Dutch). Alterra-rapport. Wageningen UR, Alterra Wageningen, NL

Ranger N, Reeder T, Lowe J (2013) Addressing "deep" uncertainty over long-term climate in major infrastructure projects: four innovations of the Thames Estuary 2100 Project. EURO Journal on Decision Processes 1(3-4):233-262

van Rhee G (2012) Handreiking Adaptief Deltamanagement (Guidance Adaptive Delta Management, in Dutch). Staff Delta Commissioner, Stratelligence, Leiden, NL

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