In the Northern Temperate Atlantic (NTA) bio-region (EEA, 2009, Olson et al., 2001), which includes Netherlands, Belgium and northwestern Germany, place-based stories – and the unquestioned deep frames underlying them – are dominated by the fear of and need to control water. Even after centuries of development and decades of industrialization, these deep frames still dominate public policy, private investment, and technological development throughout this region. This study aims to understand the characteristics of this bio-region, unpack its deep frames, and highlight how these frames influence and limit our pathways to sustainable leadership for climate resilient communities, businesses, and economies. Finally, the project seeks to engage underrepresented voices of stakeholders in the bio-region with the knowledge to illuminate more constructive pathways forward. These voices include those from farming, fishing, and regional trades, who have inhabited this bio-region from very early times, as well as representatives of businesses, policy makers, and (local) government.