Steering Committee Meeting: the Highlights
- 24 November 2020
- Francien Horrevorts
Twice a year the Polder2C’s Steering Committee is invited for a meeting. On the 13th of November, the second edition took place with Frank Mostaert, Department of Mobility and Public Works, as the chairman. Yvette Pluijmers, STOWA, who organised the meeting sums up the highlights for us.
Earlier this year in pre-Covid times the first edition of the Steering Committee meeting was held in the city of Antwerp, Belgium. This second meeting was initially planned in Bristol, the United Kingdom. Jim Barlow, Environment Agency, was looking forward to returning the hospitality. However, of course this edition was held in the virtual world. Jim Barlow welcomed all the participants and briefly focused on the positives; our communication, adaptation skills and progress.
"We really appreciate the frequency of the zoom calls and the use of new technology. And despite the challenges we already see some interesting results from the polder and we have made really good progress."
Jim Barlow, Environment Agency
Despite Covid, we are on track
Yvette explains that one of the main goals of the meeting was to give an update about the progress of all four focus areas of the project; Flood Defence, Emergency Response, Knowledge Infrastructure and Field Station. “For all four focus areas the results of 2020 were presented and the impact of Covid-19 was set out. For Emergency Response some events had to be postponed or replaced by an alternative. But overall, most focus areas were not delayed too much by Covid-19.” she says.
Interreg joined in
The Joint Secretariat of Interreg also joined the online meeting and evaluated the progress of the project. Interreg acknowledged that Polder2C’s is handling the Covid pandemic to their best ability. Furthermore, Interreg explained their approach to the challenges that the pandemic brings. Yvette highly appreciates Interreg’s accommodating attitude. “Interreg is very willing to think along and find solutions for events that we are not allowed to organise. They accept alternative events such as webinars, live meetings with a very limited number of people or a change of location due to travel restrictions. It’s very helpful to know that we are in this together and it keeps our spirits up.”
"It is not easy to compress 10 months of Polder2C’s into a 3-hour online meeting. I was happy to see so many partners and Interreg join in. Everyone was actively engaged and our progress, adaptations to Covid, and enthusiasm have come across very well."
Yvette Pluijmers, STOWA
Observer partners very involved
During the meeting, the results of the Observer meetings in France, Belgium and the Netherlands were presented. Yvette is pleased with the engagement of the observer partners:“They are actively involved, as they share their ideas, they ask for more events and they introduce fellow colleagues from other organisations to join the meeting. This is a great compliment and development, we are really building a network here.”
Live reporter in the polder
The absolute highlight of the meeting was a no brainer for Yvette. “Due to Covid we are constantly looking for ways to bring the levee to the people instead of the people to the levee. This was also incorporated into the programme. Patrik Peeters, Department of Mobility and Public Works, was our live reporter in the Prosperpolder. He showed us with great flair, how the overflow tests were progressing. Everyone could experience what was going on at that very moment. The cherry on the cake was that Patrik appeared on the VRT TV news in Belgium a bit later that day. It certainly was a great day to showcase Polder2C’s!” Yvette concludes.
More news
Curious to know more about our latest results and events? See our news section.