47
Selecting,designingand implementingNWRM:pre-conditionsforensuringeffectiveness
I
ssue
3 -M
obilise
stakeholderswhorepresent
the
expectedmultiplebenefits
inyour
planningprocesses
Mobilising stakeholders and citizens is key to successful river basin,
catchment, urban or biodiversity plans and strategies. By contributing
to awareness-raising and ensuring ownership, it increases the likelihood
of success and effectiveness. In addition to the general consultation
and participation principles promoted by the Arhus Convention, EU
legislation already promotes the consultation and participation of stakeholders
and thewider public, as illustrated inTable 4.
Legal references to stakeholders mobilisation and participation
Water Framework
Directive
In its preamble, the WFD stresses that its success
relies on […] information, consultation and involvement of the
public, including users
.
Article 14 of the WFD is dedicated to Public information and consultation, specifying that
Member States shall encourage the active involvement of all interested parties in the implementation of this Directive,
in particular in the production, review and updating of the river basin management plans.
Floods Directive Article 10 of the Floods Directive
18
specifies that
Member States shall encourage active involvement of interested
parties in the production, review and updating of the flood risk management plans
.
Biodiversity
Strategy
In its section 4.1, the Biodiversity Strategy promotes Partnerships for Biodiversity. It specifies that
the active
involvement of civil society will be encouraged at all levels of implementation. Citizen science initiatives, for instance,
are a valuable means of gathering high-quality data while mobilising citizens to get involved in biodiversity
conservation activities
.
Common
Agriculture Policy
The new Common Agriculture Policy promotes different mechanisms for enhancing information sharing about possible
actions in the field of agriculture and on their benefits, including at the European scale. In particular, it promotes
the networking of national networks, organisations and administrations involved in the design, implementation and
evaluation of rural development plans, as it has proven
it can play a very important role in improving the quality of
rural development programmes by increasing the involvement of stakeholders in the governance of rural development
as well as in informing the broader public of its benefits.
Its article 53
19
also promotes the establishment of an
European Innovation Partnership (EIP) network to address
agricultural productivity and sustainability and that shall
enable the networking of operational groups, advisory services and researchers.
This EIP network will:
(a) facilitate the
exchange of expertise and good practices; (b) establish a dialogue between farmers and the research
community and facilitate the inclusion of all stakeholders in the knowledge exchange process.
18
19
With NWRM,
widening the circle of stakeholders
beyond current practice represents themain challenge.
It is critical for ensuring that views and stakes from
different policies and expected multiple-benefit issues
are identified, discussed and considered when deciding
on themeasures to be financed and implemented.
18
ChapterV,CoordinationwithDirective 2000/60/EC, public information and consultation
19
REGULATION (EU) No 1305/2013OFTHE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTANDOFTHECOUNCIL of 17
December 2013 on support for rural development by the EuropeanAgricultural Fund for Rural Development
(EAFRD) and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005
Youwill find information
ongovernance, stakeholder
mobilisationandpolicycoordination
inSDn°9 (Barriersand success
factors forNWRM) andSDn°10
(Policy integration linked toNWRM:
howdo they integratewithdifferent
EuropeanDirectives?)
)
Ensureknowledge
is truly
‘multidimensional’
Make the
functioningand
the scaleof the
hydrological cycle
explicit inyour
measure selection
process
Mobilisestakeholders
whorepresent the
expectedmultiple
benefits inyour
planningprocesses
Find the right
incentives
Widen the scope
ofMonitoringand
Evaluation
Table4 -References to stakeholdermobilisation
andparticipation in relevantkeyEUpolicy initiatives
