Short Description
This policy brief aims to disseminate relevant findings from the InnWater project in its second year of implementation to policymakers at local, national, and EU levels. As part of the broader objective to foster sustainable multi-level and cross-sectoral water governance through social innovation and tailored governance tools, this deliverable seeks to provide targeted policy recommendations for inclusive citizen engagement and social innovation in water governance embedded in the EU Water Framework Directive.
The policy brief builds on earlier InnWater deliverables, specifically leveraging Deliverables 3.1 Citizen Engagement in the 21st Century1 and the D3.2 The InnWater Citizen Engagement Methodology A practical guidance tool and analysis framework for the creation of River Basin Water Forums 2. Additionally, insights from Task 2.2 “Identification and characterization of effective governance practice and solutions”, informed the content of this policy brief. An analysis of how citizen engagement can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals also complemented project deliverables.
The policy brief presents recommendations for policymakers at all levels that would enable effective citizen engagement strategies. It emphasizes the importance of distinguishing citizen engagement activities from the stakeholder engagement process. Moreover, it reinforces the need for decision makers to provide an enabling environment for the citizens to get involved in decision making processes, ensure the sharing of necessary information with them to make well-founded decisions, and building trust by creating a power dynamic where citizens can influence the decisions on what is important for them. By doing so, it provides a foundation for practical application of Article 14 in the Water Framework Directive.
The policy brief aligns with the broader objectives of the InnWater project to foster replicable and sustainable water governance informed by local contexts, through fostering social innovation and tailored tools.
The policy brief builds on earlier InnWater deliverables, specifically leveraging Deliverables 3.1 Citizen Engagement in the 21st Century1 and the D3.2 The InnWater Citizen Engagement Methodology A practical guidance tool and analysis framework for the creation of River Basin Water Forums 2. Additionally, insights from Task 2.2 “Identification and characterization of effective governance practice and solutions”, informed the content of this policy brief. An analysis of how citizen engagement can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals also complemented project deliverables.
The policy brief presents recommendations for policymakers at all levels that would enable effective citizen engagement strategies. It emphasizes the importance of distinguishing citizen engagement activities from the stakeholder engagement process. Moreover, it reinforces the need for decision makers to provide an enabling environment for the citizens to get involved in decision making processes, ensure the sharing of necessary information with them to make well-founded decisions, and building trust by creating a power dynamic where citizens can influence the decisions on what is important for them. By doing so, it provides a foundation for practical application of Article 14 in the Water Framework Directive.
The policy brief aligns with the broader objectives of the InnWater project to foster replicable and sustainable water governance informed by local contexts, through fostering social innovation and tailored tools.