Abstract
Abstract. This article identifies different stakeholder perspectives on future flood management in the downstream parts of the Rhine basin in Germany and The Netherlands. The perspectives were identified using Q methodology, which proved to be a good, but time-intensive, method for eliciting and analyzing stakeholder perspectives in a structured and unbiased way. Three shared perspectives were found: A) "Anticipation and institutions", B) "Space for flooding" and C) "Knowledge and engineering". These three perspectives share a central concern for the provision of safety against flooding, but disagree on the expected autonomous developments and the preferred measures. In perspective A, the expected climate change and economic growth call for fast action. To deal with the increasing flood risk, mostly institutional measures are proposed, such as the development of a stronger basin commission. In perspective B, an increasing spatial pressure on the river area is expected, and the proposed measures are focused on mitigating damage, e.g., through controlled flooding and compartmentalization. In perspective C, the role of expert knowledge and technological improvements is emphasized. Preferred strategies include strengthening the dikes and differentiation of safety standards. An overview of stakeholder perspectives can be useful in natural resources management for 1) setting the research agenda, 2) identifying differences in values and interests that need to be discussed, 3) creating awareness among a broad range of stakeholders, and 4) developing scenarios.
Highlights
Many water management issues are characterized by limited technical knowledge and disagreement about the goals to achieve
The Q sorting revealed a common basis of agreement, as well as three distinct shared perspectives or factors
The respondents largely agreed that it may be useful to mitigate socio-economic developments in flood prone areas through regulation, and to involve NGOs and the public more strongly in flood management. They agreed that flood management should not become more decentralized
Summary
Many water management issues are characterized by limited technical knowledge and disagreement about the goals to achieve. A stakeholder perspective is the cognitive representation that a stakeholder makes of the external reality and his or her position in this reality It includes the stakeholder’s preferences concerning management options, as well as the values, specific interests, and knowledge that underlie these preferences (cf the concepts “mental model” in Doyle and Ford, 1998; Kolkman et al, 2005; and “(issue) frame” in Dewulf et al, 2004). Developing an overview of the different stakeholder perspectives can increase awareness of other perspectives, facilitate discussion and support critical reflection on the rationality behind stated positions. This may result in better mutual understanding and consensus between stakeholders (Pahl-Wostl and Hare, 2004; Ridder et al, 2005)
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