
&quot;He was clearly eager for the challenge of persuading a giant country that it needs to live with water and not simply resist it. But he was skeptical about anyone&rsquo;s ability to effect meaningful change in the United States. He had recently taken an exploratory trip to the Far Rockaways, with a team of American engineers that was rebuilding storm walls damaged by Sandy. &ldquo;These are the same walls that broke before?&rdquo; Ovink asked. &ldquo;Yes!&rdquo; came the reply. &ldquo;And what if they break again?&rdquo; &ldquo;We&rsquo;ll rebuild them again.&rdquo;

(via How to Think Like the Dutch in a Post-Sandy World - NYTimes.com)