In less than a month, it will already be time for the third and final Make-aton, which we are organizing in collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) for the National Climate Adaptation Strategy (NAS). Around 70 people will be present to provide feedback on the adaptation pathways developed by the core team. This is not the end, however; the deadline for delivering the final Make-aton product is set for October 31.
With that milestone in sight, we look back on the previous Make-atons and the summer in which the core team worked hard to create these adaptation pathways. But how has the lead of the NAS revision experienced the process so far? Chantal Oudkerk Pool shares her story in this blog.
What exactly are Make-atons again?
The Make-atons are unique events where policymakers, scientists, and other experts come together to develop adaptation pathways for a climate-resilient Netherlands. These sessions combine the concept of a hackathon with a “maker” mentality (Make + hackathon), focused on collaboratively creating solutions for complex challenges within the National Climate Adaptation Strategy (NAS). During the Make-atons, participants work in an intense, creative setting to develop methods and strategies that contribute to a resilient future for the Netherlands.
Chantal: From Rotterdam to the National Climate Adaptation Strategy
Chantal Oudkerk Pool is the project leader of the NAS at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW). She worked for the municipality of Rotterdam for twenty years, most of which was focused on urban climate adaptation. “I also have a background in urban planning,” she explains. In 2022, she decided to make the switch to the national level: “When I saw this amazing job opportunity, I knew I couldn’t pass it up. It’s a fantastic challenge to work on a new NAS.”
From evaluation to renewal
The reason for this new NAS is simple: the current strategy from 2016 was outdated, and there was a need for an update. “We first established a solid foundation for the revision,” Chantal explains. “In 2022, we evaluated the NAS, which provided valuable insights. Following that, in 2023, we created a National Implementation Program as a bridge between the old and the new strategy.” That same year, the KNMI’23 scenarios were published, which play a key role in shaping the new approach. With these documents as a foundation, Chantal consulted with various stakeholders to assess what is needed to better map out adaptation challenges. “There was a strong need to clarify what is required in the short, medium, and long term.”
One of the most notable developments within the new NAS is the idea of incorporating adaptation pathway maps for the fifteen themes or ‘challenges’. Chantal explains, “These pathway maps have been well received both within and outside the national government, but creating them is quite complex. The fifteen themes intertwine like spaghetti.” This is where KIN came into play. “Through the Climate Research Initiative Netherlands (KIN), we aim to unlock the best available scientific knowledge and make the complexity more manageable through a methodical approach.”
The process: from consultation to implementation
Chantal shares that the timeline for the new NAS is clearly structured in phases. “By the end of October, the pathway maps for the first five challenges will be available for further consultation and participation. After that, we’ll begin working on the other challenges, which we hope to complete by the end of March. At the same time, we’ll already start drafting the new NAS, while also exploring how the pathways relate to one another. Where can they strengthen each other, and where are decisions needed? By the summer of 2025, we hope to have a well-developed framework. This will also undergo an environmental impact assessment (PlanMER). All in all, we aim to present a draft NAS’26 for public consultation by the end of 2025, which – after adjustments – we plan to submit to the Council of Ministers before the summer of 2026. This has also been agreed upon in the Coalition Agreement.”
According to Chantal, the process is both challenging and inspiring. “It’s a very broad topic that affects many parties, so coordination can sometimes be quite intensive,” she admits. Still, she finds it a wonderful process, particularly due to the collaboration with no less than ten ministries co-authoring the NAS. “We’re truly doing this together,” she emphasizes. What gives her the most energy is the positive attitude she encounters everywhere. “So many people want to contribute and help with the NAS, and that’s really encouraging. Seeing that enthusiasm is fantastic.”
What are Chantal and her team most looking forward to? “That it all becomes a bit more tangible,” she says with a smile. The current approach is abstract and conceptual, but Chantal hopes that the first batch of adaptation pathway maps will provide valuable insights and spark lively discussions. “We don’t want to have these discussions just within the national government, but especially with the many parties directly impacted by climate change.” That prospect makes the work not only urgent but also tangible and practically applicable for the future.
