Dutch Disaster Risk Reduction Experts Visit Flood-Affected Areas in Porto Alegre

Dutch Disaster Risk Reduction Experts Visit Flood-Affected Areas in Porto Alegre

In August 2024, a group of Dutch technicians visited several locations in Porto Alegre that were severely affected by the historic floods in Rio Grande do Sul. The delegation was part of the Dutch Disaster Risk Reduction and Surge Support (DRRS) programme, which was in the state to participate in a knowledge exchange initiative between Brazil and the Netherlands focused on flood resilience and disaster risk reduction.

Also joining the technical visits were the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Brazil, André Driessen; the Consul General of the Netherlands in São Paulo, Wieneke Vullings; the Chief Representative of NBSO Porto Alegre, Caspar van Rijnbach; the technical mission coordinator, Ben Lamoree; Taneha Kuzniecow Bacchin, representing Delft University of Technology; Tatiana Silva, from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS); as well as representatives from the Municipality of Porto Alegre and the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

The technical visits were part of the co-creation conference, held in August 2024, under the theme “Rethinking the Flood Management System in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre.” The initiative was promoted and co-organized by the Government of the Netherlands through the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Brazil, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Consulate General of the Netherlands in São Paulo, and the Netherlands Business Support Office Southern Brazil (NBSO Porto Alegre).

The conference brought together Dutch and Brazilian experts to exchange knowledge and explore collaborative approaches to strengthening flood management and climate resilience in Rio Grande do Sul.

Photo credit: Ramiro Sanchez