Texel, the largest island in the Wadden Islands of the Netherlands, is an example of how the country is tackling the challenges of climate change and rising sea levels. With much of its land situated below sea level, Texel is vulnerable to flooding and the impacts of extreme weather events. While dikes and coastal barriers have historically protected the island, an innovative approach has been adopted to combine traditional infrastructure with Nature-Based Solutions (NBS).
NBS include restoring salt marshes, planting vegetation to stabilize dunes, and creating wetlands to absorb excess water. These solutions are particularly valuable as they offer ecological benefits in addition to flood protection, such as improving biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Texel’s salt marshes and coastal dunes serve as natural barriers against rising tides and storms, reducing the impact of the encroaching sea.
Despite the protection provided by the dikes, the island continues to closely monitor the effects of climate change. The combination of engineering solutions and natural systems provides a model for other vulnerable coastal regions, demonstrating that innovation can address both protection needs and ecological sustainability in the long term.