On November 13, 2025, the province of North Brabant had the honor of hosting the 16th National Delta Congress, held this time in Breda. It was also a co-organizer of the related excursions the day before. As every year, experts from governments, knowledge institutions, companies, and social organizations from across the country gathered to exchange knowledge and gain inspiration around the National Delta Program.
This program brings parties together to protect the Netherlands now and in the future against flooding, to ensure sufficient fresh water, and to work on a climate-resilient and water-robust design of our country. The main message? To keep our country safe and climate-resilient in the long term, we must make sharp choices now, work together, and take responsibility ourselves. But also: we can do this. “If we just do it together,” says Delta Commissioner Co Verdaas.
1600 participants at the Delta Congress
The Delta Congress was well attended: no less than 1300 participants were physically present at the Chassé Theater in Breda and another 300 participants joined online. They followed the plenary program and in the afternoon there were twelve breakout sessions. These included recalibration of the Delta Program, collaboration on space for water, and a new direction for sea level rise in the long term.
See also the reports of the plenary program and breakout sessions in a special edition of:
West Brabant region center of excursions
Traditionally, excursions take place on the day before the Delta Congress in and around the city where the congress is held. This year, the excursions took place in the West Brabant region. The province of North Brabant, Brabantse Delta Water Board, and the municipality of Breda organized these in cooperation with, among others, Brabant Water, the municipality of Bergen op Zoom, the municipality of Roosendaal, ZLTO, and the Efteling.
The 200 participants from all over the Netherlands could choose from five excursions and discover how we collaborate in Brabant with various parties on todays and tomorrows water challenges. From the high sandy soils to urban area developments and innovative solutions for freshwater shortages. They also discussed dilemmas such as: how do we deal with drought and water nuisance? How do we build climate-resilient cities under growing pressure? And how do we fairly and future-oriented distribute scarce groundwater?
Water and soil at the province of North Brabant
The province of North Brabant works through the Water and Soil program on clean and sufficient water, a vital soil, flood safety, and a climate-resilient design, as the basis for our prosperity, health, and safety. Click here to learn more about the Water and Soil program.