Sustainable Water Ecosystems Management in Europe

• First book to consider citizens playing a role in the science-policy interface to help formulate durable responses to sustainability challenges
• Discusses all aspects to enhance the connectivity of actors in the sustainable water management field, with three pilot case studies showing how citizens and stakeholders can be engaged early and effectively in the river basins and coastal waters planning processes
• Provides tips and recommendations for the transferability of the approach in different coastal areas of Europe and beyond.

Sustainable Water Ecosystems Management in Europe examines the anthropogenic deterioration of water ecosystems, in particular in coastal areas. It proposes a new approach to enhance connectivity between research and policy-making. The book exploits the concept of integrated adaptive ecosystem management, by engaging scientists, policy makers and the public (the latter including both stakeholders and lay citizens/water users) in comparable case studies. Emphasis is given to the role of the public to enlarge the concept of organisational learning to the wider concept of social learning.

The EC 7th Research Framework Program funded project AWARE engaged a panel of randomly selected citizens living in three different coastal areas of Europe – in a pilot experience of knowledge brokerage with water scientists and decision makers focused on coastal waters quality.  Results and lessons learned from the project are summarized in this volume, and recommendations are made for this pilot’s replication and transferability to different coastal areas and sustainable water management tasks - and beyond to other sustainability research and policy issues. This book is a must-read for water managers and policy makers looking to effectively organize citizen and stakeholder participation in river basin and coastal water planning, as required by the EU Water Framework Directive.

Sustainable Water Ecosystems Management in Europe provides useful recommendations for organising effective participation of citizens in the science and policy dialogue, promoting a collective awareness of the plans and actions needed to protect the water environment and ensure sustainable use of water resources.

Foreword: Bridging the Citizens-Science-Policy gap in the water sector, why should we care?; Introduction; Water ecosystem concerns and EU research for sustainable water management;  Institutional and policy framework at EU and national levels; The AWARE methodology for building a new Science-Citizens-Policy Interface: theoretical foundations; The pilot experience with the AWARE citizens’ panel; The Gulf of Riga case study; The Southern North Sea case study; The Sacca di Goro case study; Evaluation of the AWARE pilot experience; Recommendations to enhance the connectivity between scientists, citizens and policy makers in the water sector and beyond, to tackle with sustainability challenges

Carlo Sessa, AWARE Project Coordinator, Director at ISIS – Institute of Studies for the Integration of Systems, Italy