How we got involved
How ‘the Netherlands’ became involved in the European SOS Waterfront research project requires a separate explanation and a step back in time.
CPONH
In 2008 the non-governmental organization CPONH (Collectief Particulier Opdrachtgeverchap Noord Holland) was founded, a private initiative aimed at supporting (Dutch) civilian initiatives like sustainable housing, refurbishing housing blocks, buying roof solar panels as a group, building new special houses in special places, city-gardening and flower plucking in parks or neighbourhood areas – climate-change proof as much as possible.
To such kinds of initiatives, CPONH gives support to group processes, by learning-on-the-job, in complex governmental boundaries, and helps organise the group dynamic process, in a profit and non-profit settings, societally engaged in an open interesting way of life. By bringing practice and knowledge together, by managing field projects, enriching knowledge and giving support to other like municipalities based on the knowledge and experience of the employees, in good cooperations with universities, municipalities and government. CPONH has supported many municipalities and civilian initiatives and scientific publications as well in the past years.
A few years back CPONH was asked by a representative of the SOS Waterfront research project (they met at a congress) if CPONH was willing to participate in their project: on the one hand because of the knowledge and experience with civil initiatives in urban, water-rich environments such as Amsterdam and the island of Texel, on the other hand, because the (EU) Marie Curie funding demanded that besides the seven universities also a non-university organization would participate in the research project.
This request was accepted enthusiastically because CPONH staff members are very interested in what climate change does to citizens and their institutions.
SOS Waterfront The Netherlands
Participation in the EU research project is a new challenge to most of the Dutch CPONH employees. What binds the team members on this website is their shared interest in the consequences of climate change for urban coastal areas and in finding effective solutions to the problems that have arisen.
SOS Waterfront The Netherlands
fredsanders.cponh@gmail.com
+31(0) 654773140
