Abstract
The increasingly active role of stakeholders in the development of innovative nature-based solutions calls for appropriate instruments to support and realise added value from their involvement. In this paper we apply a newly developed instrument “Cooperation for Added Value” (Co-Add) to a study area on the Dutch coast. The instrument draws on participatory game theory and policy analysis to provide a theoretically sound structure for facilitating interactions aimed at identifying shared opportunities and potential coalitions for cooperation. The application in the case study Noard-Fryslân Bûtendyks affirmed that the Co-Add instrument systematically facilitated stakeholders in exploring potentially promising opportunities and gaining insight in the added value of engaging in diverse cooperations. Stakeholders came to understand which solutions were more achievable than others and what was needed to enable implementation in terms of collaboration, including the role of their own organization. Furthermore, social dilemmas in which a particular nature-based solution is attractive to a coalition of stakeholders but is not the most beneficial solution for a particular individual stakeholder, became clear. This represents a practical contribution to the range of participatory instruments that can be applied in societally challenging complex problems that require collaboration for their resolution.
Highlights
Nowadays the participation of stakeholders in the development of flood defence strategies is necessary and, in some countries, a legal obligation
The instrument draws on participatory game theory and policy analysis to provide a theoretically sound structure for facilitating interactions aimed at identifying shared opportunities and potential coalitions for cooperation
The instrument seeks to facilitate the exploration of cooperation opportunities to overcome social dilemmas
Summary
Nowadays the participation of stakeholders in the development of flood defence strategies is necessary and, in some countries, a legal obligation. In nature-based flood defence projects stakeholder participation is important as it allows the inclusion of a diversity of opinions regarding whether and how to defend against flooding, in addition to the realization of multiple objectives through such infrastructure (Voorendt, 2017; Bark et al, 2021; Slinger et al, 2021). A flood defence could be a semipermeable breakwater, a dike with vegetated foreshore, or even a dune. This implies that different authorities, and those responsible for flood defence are operating in a growing network of stakeholders with large interdependencies. Cooperation between the different stakeholders has become desirable, a legal obligation, and indispensable to effective flood defence strategies
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call