Abstract
A participatory methodology, based on dialogues between stakeholders and experts has been developed and tested in the drainage area to Kaggebo Bay in the Baltic Sea. This study is focused on the EU Water Framework Directive, with emphasis on reduction of eutrophication. The drainage area is included in the WFD administrative area of the Motala Strom River basin. A similar approach is now applied in a recently initiated project in the Thukela River basin, with focus on impacts of climate change on water resources. The methodology is based on the idea that a catchment model serves as a platform for the establishment of a common view of present conditions and the causes behind these conditions. In the following steps, this is followed by model-assisted agreement on environmental goals (i.e. what do we want the future to look like?) and local agreement on a remedy or mitigation plans in order to reduce environmental impact (e. g. eutrophication); alternatively to adapt to conditions that cannot be determined by local actions (e. g. climate change). By involving stakeholder groups in this model-supported stepwise process, it is ensured that all stakeholder groups involved have a high degree of confidence in the presented model results, and thereby enable various actors involved to share a common view, regarding both present conditions, goals and the way to reach these goals. Although this is a process that is time-(and cost-) consuming, it is hypothesised that the use of this methodology is two-pronged: it increases the willingness to carry out remedies or necessary adaptations to a changing environment, and it increases the level of understanding between the various groups and therefore ameliorates the potential for future conflicts. Compared to traditional use of model results in environmental decision-making, the experts' role is transformed from a one-way communication of final results to assistance in the various steps of the participatory process.
Highlights
Successful integrated water resources management (IWRM) need to be based on adaptive management approaches that can cope with uncertainties caused by globally as well as locally changing socio-economical and climate conditions (Pahl-Wostl, 2007)
To be able to deal with the complex interaction of socioeconomic and natural processes, Information Communication Technology (ICT) facilitated participatory projects have been carried for a multitude of water resource management issues around the
The farmers wanted to, compared with the original plan, put more emphasis on combining modelling with more monitoring than available from the operational network, which led to the initiation of the performed field campaign monitoring programme of water samples for nutrient analyses of riverine water
Summary
Successful integrated water resources management (IWRM) need to be based on adaptive management approaches that can cope with uncertainties caused by globally as well as locally changing socio-economical and climate conditions (Pahl-Wostl, 2007). Public participation may contribute to achieving several interrelated goals such as better-informed stakeholder groups, transfer of knowledge and information from local stakeholder groups to regional and national planning and research, socially accepted mitigation measures, leading to higher effic iency in implementation and reduction of conflicts between stakeholder groups (Lauber and Knuth, 2000; Pahl-Wostl, 2002). Presented at the symposium ‘HELP in Action: Local Solutions to Global Water Problems – Lessons from the South’ which was held at the Emperor’s Palace, Johannesburg, South Africa from 4 to 9 November 2007. Models present a simplification of complex systems, they can be considered useful in environmental planning. Model-derived information can be used to minimise the risk that discussions are blocked by biased perceptions of the causes to Available on website http://www.wrc.org.za
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