Piet Dircke

Mr. Dircke is the ARCADIS Global Director for Climate Adaptation, with 37 years of working experience on five continents in climate adaptation, water management, urban resilience, coastal flood protection and waterfront development. Currently he is leading the Arcadis Task Force European Floods that was established after the 2021 summer floods that devastated parts of Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Piet was Platform Partner with the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities Program, 2015 - 2019.

Netherlands. Mr. Dircke was Professor in Urban Water Management at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences from 2007 till 2014. His research focused on urban water management, climate adaptation and multipurpose flood protection in coastal cities. He participated for the City of Rotterdam in the C-40 “Connecting Delta Cities” program on Climate Adaptation Strategies for Delta Cities. From 2009 till 2013 he was Chairman of the Board of Flood Control 2015, a 22 M€ Dutch Public Private Partnership developing smart flood control systems. In 2014 Mr. Dircke was reviewer of the Flood Safety Policy and Procedures of the new Dutch Delta Program.

SE Asia. Mr Dircke was active in Singapore, Jakarta, Semarang, Hongkong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Min City and Yangon. In Hong Kong he was advisor for the Civil Engineering & Drainage Department CEDD on Coastal Hazards and hosted a high level CEDD delegation in the Netherlands. In Singapore he advises PUB on several coastal resilience related matters including nature-based solutions and storm surge barriers. He is Program Committee member for Singapore SIWW 2022.

In Indonesia he was responsible for project definition and Terms of Reference (TOR), as well as for the review for the Jakarta NCICD National Capital Integrated Coastal Development Masterplan. In Semarang he identified and prepared Dutch funded projects in coastal zone management, flood protection, and urban water, combined with cultural heritage of the old city centre.

He was responsible for the preparation of the TOR of the Delta Plan 2100 for Bangladesh and participated in the launch of a national IWRM Master Plan study for Myanmar. He participated in a Conceptual Plan for Flood Protection and Climate Adaptation for Bangkok and advised in Vietnam on the review of the Binh Quoi Thanh Da Island Development in Ho Chi Min City and on the first phase for the Hanoi Red River Urban Development Masterplan.

USA. Since 2005 he is working on urban flood protection and climate adaptation projects in New Orleans, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Pittsburgh, Norfolk, Honolulu, Bridgeport, Miami, and Charleston.

In New Orleans he assisted the US army Corps of Engineers (USACE) District in projects providing Hurricane Risk Reduction, like the conceptual design of the Inner Harbour Navigational Canal Flood Gates and Alternatives Study. Also in New Orleans, developing the “Living with Water” concept as well for the Urban Water Plan of the City, Mr. Dircke coordinated the multiparty Dutch team as part of the Dutch Dialogues.

In California he worked on sea level rise and waterfront development in the San Francisco Bay and in the Bay Delta Area. He was advisor to San Francisco PUC and Port Authority on adapting Mission Bay to Rising Tides. He was advisor on the Feasibility study of the Bay Delta Development Committee on adaptation strategies for shoreline development in the San Francisco Bay, and on the Transportation Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Pilot for the SF Metropolitan Transportation Commission. He is currently advisor to the San Francisco Port Authority and City on the SF Sea Wall Resilience project.

In New York City he participated in the Rebuild by Design competition and advised telecom company Verizon on a short-term flood protection solution with movable barriers. He was advisor to the MTA on flood resiliency of critical public infrastructure and advisor to New York City EDC on the Southern Manhattan Coastal Protection Feasibility Study, and on the Manhattan ESCR East Side Coastal Resilience project. Currently he is advisor to EDC on the Financial District and Seaport Climate Resilience Masterplan project.