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Delta management in evolution: a comparative review of the Yangtze River Delta and Rhine‑Meuse‑Scheldt Delta Christian Nolf1   · Yuting Xie2   · Florence Vannoorbeeck1 · Bing Chen1  Received: 20 January 2020 / Accepted: 7 October 2020 © The Japan Section of the Regional Science Association International 2020

Abstract This paper aims to compare the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt Delta in Europe and the Taihu Basin part of the Yangtze River Delta in China from a long-term historical perspective. Urbanized deltas are among the most prosperous and populated regions in the world, but also the most vulnerable. To cope with growing uncertainty, their systematic comparison has become instrumental in building mutual learning on the theory and practice of spatial planning and water resource management in such vulnerable contexts. Based on a systematic comparative mapping approach of Delta Urbanism with critical review of policies, this research highlights important similarities between these two deltas in terms of physical characteristics, dense occupation, and management history evolving from a decentralized polder-based system to a centralized control model, and a recent adoption of integrated and adaptive water management strategies. On the other hand, the comparison reveals distinct management focuses in current delta plans, as well as contrasting approaches to public participation and historical hydraulic landscapes. It is found from this comparative study that, beyond the socio-cultural specificities that can explain the distinct management practice of each region, the systematic use of mapping as a visualization and communication tool would facilitate integrative and adaptive delta management. Keywords  Delta urbanism · Integrated water resource management · Spatial planning · Mapping · Visualization · Taihu Basin

* Yuting Xie [email protected] 1

Department of Urban Planning and Design, Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Dushu Lake Higher Education Town, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China

2

Institute of Landscape Architecture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China





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Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science

1 Introduction 1.1 Urbanized deltas: prosperous and vulnerable Deltas are amongst the most prosperous and densely populated places on Earth. Offering unique advantage for cultivation and water transportation, deltas have attracted human activities and settlements since early ages. Many deltas have been developed into flourishing agricultural and trading regions over time, resulting in some of the largest and fastest growing metropolitan regions in the world today (Saito 2001; Woodroffe et  al. 2006; Shields 2008; Meyer and Nijhuis 2014). It is estimated that deltas are home to more than 7% of the global population (Day et al. 2016). While densely populated and economically prosperous, urbanized deltas are extremely vulnerable.