March 2007

1

Social learning for better water management – insights from the EU

HarmoniCOP project

”Learning together to manage together” improving participation in water

management

IAIA 2007 Seoul

Bert Enserink

TPM – policy analysis

April 20, 2023 2

Why public participation in RBMP ?

• RBMP is complex multi-actor issue• Interdependence• Conflicting interests• Conflicting knowledge/uncertainty

• Need for joint solutions that are technically sound and implemented in practice and in time!

• Lack of experience and absent institutions in newly accessing EU countries (and some old EU countries too)

Objectives of PP:

• Collaboration• Build trust• Common view• Resolve conflicts• Joint solutions• Better results

April 20, 2023 3

The public participation requirements of the Water Framework Directive1. Encourage active involvement in the implementation

of the WFD (Art 14.1)2. The WFD requires three rounds of written consultation 3. The reactions of the public need to be collected and

considered seriously4. On request, access has to be given to background

information5. Additional forms of pp are not required but may be

needed for reaching its ambitious environmental goals and ensuring its success.

April 20, 2023 4

Social learning approach // PPBPP• Recognition of stakeholder interdependence• Interaction between all stakeholders• A minimum degree of openness and trust• Critical self-reflection by all on their goals and

interests, assumptions about the system to be managed and how their actions affect others

• Development of shared problem perception• Critical assessment of potential solutions• Joint decision-making based on reciprocity and

commitment• Arrangements to promote implementation

April 20, 2023 5

HarmoniCOP Handbook on PP in RBM

Free download at: http://harmonicop.info

April 20, 2023 6

How to get started – general principles

• Openness – relevant, committed, transparent

• Protection of core values• Speed• Substance – role of expertise and alternatives

April 20, 2023 7

Protection of core values

• The process should respect and not threaten the livelihood and identity of the different stakeholders

• Stakeholders should commit themselves to the process

• The process should offer participants an exit option

April 20, 2023 8

Speed

• The process should create prospects of gain and incentives for cooperation

• Third parties and external developments may be used to speed it up

• Conflicts should be transferred to the periphery of the process (e.g. to a special group so as not to threaten progress)

April 20, 2023 9

How to start – who are the stakeholders you should involve?

April 20, 2023 10

How to start – who are the stakeholders you should involve?

• Those with resources that improve the quality of the decision

• Those who possess resources necessary for implementing the decision

• Those who can block the decision-making or implementation

• Those who do not necessarily possess the necessary resources or blocking power but have a morel right as they will be affected

• Those who need to be involved because of legal requirements

April 20, 2023 11

How to start - Choosing methods and tools

April 20, 2023 12

How to start - Choosing methods and tools

• Use methods and tools to make information accessible• Transparent choice• Share control on data, methods and tools with stakeholders• Build on local knowledge • Allow flexibility/adapt• Use a variety of methods and tools• Use tools to gain system knowledge and understanding• Record and document activities and outcomes

April 20, 2023 13

How to start - Choosing methods and tools

April 20, 2023 14

April 20, 2023 15

How to manage – ground rules(Bruijn, Heuvelhof & In’t Veld, 2002)

• General rules• not binding outcomes, respect and behavior

• Entrance and Exit rules• after rounds, after consultation

• Handling Information• access and confidentiality

• Rules for parallel processes• interference, judicial steps

• Engagement with the press• restrictions

April 20, 2023 16

Handbook / Downloads

Free of Charge

Available in:•English •German •Spanish •Italian•Dutch •French

At: www.harmonicop.info

April 20, 2023 17

THANK YOU!

April 20, 2023 18

A good practice example: ABC Delfland

April 20, 2023 19

How to get started – who are the stakeholders you should involve?

• All local and regional authorities/govn bodies• Province• Municipalities

• Organized stakeholder groups:• Nature & Recreational groups• Farming & Warehousing

• Neighboring waterboards• Individual farmers – ‘victims’ of flooding• General public

April 20, 2023 20

ABC Delfland, Drainage and Water Storage Capacity “to achieve a construction of the water system

and manage the water system of Delfland in such a way that a societal sound safety level is achieved against acceptable (societal) costs.”

(Resource Analysis, 2000)

For reaching this goal the Waterboard Delfland is not looking for technical solutions alone, but it is also trying to find spatial solutions for the (temporary) storage of water.

(Resource Analysis, 2000)

April 20, 2023 21

Phase 1 PP activities

• interviews with different stakeholders by independent advisor

• workshop to present outcomes to all the interviewees, administrators, civil servants and representatives of different stakeholder groups.

• two meetings with people from two different communities who suffered from the water problems.

• several bilateral discussion meetings with municipalities (7) and the neighbouring waterboards

• three meetings with the sounding board group

April 20, 2023 22

Phase 2 PP activities

• Three workshops to discuss the ten alternatives and get preferences• elected members of the Waterboard• mayors and aldermen • civil servants, sounding board group

members, farmers interest group and the Province together

• Seven public information meetings to create support for the plans and to win back the trust of the people• all the contacts of the network, inhabitants

and media

April 20, 2023 23

Outcome: social learning

• Joint development and ownership of the problem• Joint sense of urgency• Joint decision-making based on reciprocity and

commitment

• Pragmatic problem-solving approach with extensive communication and consultation of stakeholders was effective

• Stakeholder preferences and knowledge was taken serious

April 20, 2023 24

Why public participation in RBMP ?

April 20, 2023 25

Social learning approach

Objectives of PP:

• Collaboration• Build trust• Common view• Resolve conflicts• Joint solutions• Better results

When to invest in PP?

• Different stakeholders depend on each other to reach their goals

• There is no agreement on the problems or solutions at stake

• The issues are important enough for the stakeholders to invest the necessary time (and therefore money)

April 20, 2023 26

Two phases &

• Phase 1: analysis and search for possible solutions.• Phase 2: choosing a solution and making the solution

and impacts of this solution as concrete as possible.• Deliberate choice to organise participation.

• Knowledge exchange: local and historical versus system .

• Obstruction power and legitimacy: cooperation and prevents lengthy appeal procedures.

• Water surplus problems and their context are complex, forcing the Waterboard to co-operate with others (like municipalities, provinces, etc.)

April 20, 2023 27

Openness All relevant stakeholders should be able to participate in the decision-making processThe participants in the process should have power top commit to the processThe process and its management should be transparent

Protection of core values

The process should respect and not threaten the livelihood and identity of the different stakeholdersStakeholders should commit themselves to the processThe process should offer participants an exit option

Speed The process should create prospects of gain and incentives for cooperationThird parties and external developments may be used to speed it upConflicts should be transferred to the periphery of the process (e.g. to a special group so as not to threaten progress)

Substance The role of scientific and technical expert and other stakeholders should be clearThe process should first result in several alternatives of which one or more can be selected later

April 20, 2023 28

Structured problem

Ill-structured problem

YES

Moderately structured problem

Unstructured problem

NOConsensus

on

knowledge

YESNO

Consensus on values?

Structured problem

Ill-structured problem

YES

Moderately structured problem

Unstructured problem

NOConsensus

on

knowledge

YESNO

Consensus on values?

How to get started?Complex decision-making: typology of problems(Hisschemoller ’93)

Technology, Policy and Management

ABC Delfland

April 20, 2023 29

Structured problem

Ill-structured problem

YES

Moderately structured problem

Unstructured problem

NOConsensus

on

knowledge

YESNO

Consensus on values?

Structured problem

Ill-structured problem

YES

Moderately structured problem

Unstructured problem

NOConsensus

on

knowledge

YESNO

Consensus on values?How to get started:Complex problems and public involvement(Bruin & Porter, 2004)

• If structured: information• If unstructured: interactive analysis / active involvement• If ill-structured: values contested >> process for finding

decision-making space: transparency and consultation• If moderately structured: knowledge contested >> extensive

communication and consultation of stakeholders

Technology, Policy and Management

ABC Delfland

April 20, 2023 30

Formal required (EIS) PP activities

• Public display was obligatory. • The so-called 'Inspraakverordening' gives

inhabitants and organised stakeholders the chance to react to the plans of the Waterboard by communicating their views and opinions.

• Only two appeals?!