New book chapter maps land subsidence challenges across the Netherlands

A newly released open-access chapter in Geology of the Netherlands offers the most comprehensive overview to date of land subsidence processes in the Netherlands. Authored by  TNO and partner institutions, the chapter traces both natural and human-driven causes of ground movement, from peat oxidation and gas extraction to the impacts of groundwater management and urban development.

The Netherlands is among the most severely subsiding regions in the world, with long-term settlement threatening infrastructure, agriculture, and flood safety. The chapter details how subsidence varies across geological settings and highlights the latest advances in monitoring and modelling, including satellite-based interferometry and integrated hydro-mechanical modelling approaches.

Beyond the technical aspects, the authors emphasise that governance and policy remain decisive. They outline how coordination between national, provincial, and municipal authorities can better address the uneven impacts of subsidence and link new mitigation strategies to the energy transition, such as geothermal development and aquifer storage. The chapter closes with a call for improved monitoring networks and stronger integration of subsidence management into spatial and climate adaptation planning.