The Netherlands​

The Netherlands have the pleasure to welcome for the second time a IAEG congress. While the IAEG 1990 congress was held in Amsterdam, the IAEG 2026 congress will be hosted in Delft, in the Western Netherlands, between Rotterdam and The Hague. Delft is in the heart of the subsiding Dutch coastal plain. Subsidence has made the Netherlands to what it is today; a water-rich country which is one third below sea level. The Netherlands are still subsiding, causing damage to infrastructure and buildings. Land subsidence is particularly worrisome for an already low-lying country that has to cope with sea-level rise and more frequent extreme weather conditions.

Soon after the IAEG 1990 congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Ed de Mulder, former head of the Geo-infrastructure department of the Dutch Geological Survey wrote "The Netherlands: without engineering geology, no land". Ed's statement is more true than ever, in our rapidly changing world. The very special conditions of the Netherlands have forced and still force Dutch geo-engineers to innovate for building in, on, and, with soft soils, and protect their land from flooding. Subsidence and flooding are not the only challenges faced by the Netherlands. The list of geohazards but also opportunities offered by the Dutch (sub)surface has grown since 1990. High on the list are: the seismicity induced by gas extraction in the North, post mining risk-management in the East and South East, aging infrastructure and growing urbanization in the West and, from South to North, East to West, increased loading due to climate changes, zero carbon emissions, circularity of waste management, building with nature, as well as the multiple aspects of the energy transition and the management of new technology, including the artificial intelligence revolution. The IAEG 2026 will showcase how, thanks to their skills in characterizing and modelling soils and rocks and their understanding of the Earth system and its interaction with human activities, engineering geologists help to tackle these global- and not only Dutch- challenges.

You are invited to join the IAEG 2026 congress for a week of insightful discussions, engaging presentations and the opportunity to connect with researchers and practitioners from around the world. Together we will explore the vast field of engineering geology and contribute to building a responsible and resilient future on Earth and beyond.