Participatory Approach in Decision Making Processes for Water Resources Management in the Mediterranean Basin

This paper deals with the comparative analysis of different policy options for water resources management in three south-eastern Mediterranean countries. The applied methodology follows a participatory approach throughout its implementation and is supported by the use of three different software packages dealing with water allocation budget, water quality simulation, and Multi Criteria Analysis, respectively. The paper briefly describes the general objectives of the SMART project and then presents the three local case studies, the valuation objectives and the applied methodology - developed as a general replicable framework suitable for implementation in other decision-making processes. All the steps needed for a correct implementation are therefore described. Following the conceptualisation of the problem, the choice of the appropriate indicators as well as the calculation of their weighting and value functions are detailed. The paper concludes with the results of the Multi Criteria and the related Sensitivity Analyses performed, showing how the different policy responses under consideration can be assessed and furthermore compared through case studies thanks to their relative performances. The adopted methodology was found to be an effective operational approach for bridging scientific modelling and policy making by integrating the model outputs in a conceptual framework that can be understood and utilised by non experts, thus showing concrete potential for participatory decision making.Scientific Advice, Policy-Making, Participatory Modelling, Decision Support

The Kyoto Protocol and the Effect of Existing and Planned Measures in the Agricultural and Forestry Sector in the EU25

Agricultural and forestry activities cover the majority of the EU territory: in particular agriculture is the main lad use type, accounting for more than 41% of the land use in the EU15, while in the new Member States this share ranges between 30 and 60 %, whereas forestry is the second. The role of agriculture as both a source of and as a sink of greenhouse gases (GHG) varies significantly because of the diversity of production systems adopted by farmers and of the environmental conditions in Europe. The effectiveness of the policy measures adopted so far in the agro-forestry sector to meet the Kyoto target are reported in the National Communications to the UNFCC which now reached its 4th edition. National Communication were used in this reports as the main source of information to develop a country by country survey of policy measure - both from a qualitative and a quantitative perspective - allowing to understand the progresses the Members States are making towards their commitments, also thanks to a comparative assessment of this release with the previous communications to the UNFCC. Although not all members’ states did provide quantitative estimations, the comparison of the third fourth edition of the National Communication showed that almost all the countries have revised their estimations and projections of GHG emissions. It is also worth noting that that even though the measures reported at the country level still respond mainly to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) requirements or to the improvement of air and water quality standards, the issue of climate change has become increasingly prominent in the design of agro-forestry development strategies.Agriculture, Forestry, Climate Change, Greenhouse Gases, Policy Measures, EU25, Meacap

The LIAISE approach for co-designing knowledge on impact assessment tools

Impact Assessment (IA) intends to collect evidence on the likely impacts of new policies and thereby minimize unwanted side-effects and maximize the benefits to society. Although it is a requirement in the EC and all OECD countries, the scope and methods vary considerably. Governments have invested considerably in research to support the evidence basis of policy making for sustainable development. However, the general picture shows a gap between the proliferation of IA tools from the scientific community and their actual use in the policy process. The FP7 network of excellence LIAISE (www.liaise- noe.eu) is designed to identify the causes for non-use of IA tools and bridge the gaps between researchers with a generally strong orientation towards their (disciplinary) peers and practitioners who tend to focus on their policy domain and policy problems. LIAISE aims at: 1) understanding of the policy process and the resulting needs for IA knowledge and IA tools; 2) description of IA tools and scientific IA expertise in a standardised way; 3) a shared IA toolbox targeted at the needs of both researchers and practitioners; 4) a shared IA research agenda integrating scientific knowledge gaps and the priorities for the development of new IA knowledge that arise from the future policy agenda; and 5) safeguarding the project results beyond the period of project funding, by developing an institutional setting and a business plan that facilitate the extension of the present consortium towards a broad centre of IA expertise with a structural permanence. A lively interaction between the different communities involved, is essential to realize these objectives. The Berlin Conference is an important opportunity to inform external research groups about the LIAISE approach to bridging the gap between science and policy. Their feedback and views on possible next steps in the further integration of the IA research community are highly valued, as well as their interest to become involved in this process

Droughts in Northern Italy: Taken by Surprise, Again.

This article analyses origins and impacts of unexpected vulnerabilities revealed by a long-lasting period of drought events across the Po river basin district, in Northern Italy, from 2003 to 2012. The study reveals that climate change effects advance at the same pace of land and water over-exploitation, to the detriment of environmental quality and human well-being. Even if the district is water-rich under normal climate conditions, recurrent droughts continue to highlight the same vulnerabilities. Little improvements have been achieved. Four policy options are identified to turn these threats into adaptation opportunities

Participatory Approach in Decision Making Processes for Water Resources Management in the Mediterranean Basin

This paper deals with the comparative analysis of different policy options for water resources management in three south-eastern Mediterranean countries. The applied methodology follows a participatory approach throughout its implementation and is supported by the use of three different software packages dealing with water allocation budget, water quality simulation, and Multi Criteria Analysis, respectively. The paper briefly describes the general objectives of the SMART project and then presents the three local case studies, the valuation objectives and the applied methodology - developed as a general replicable framework suitable for implementation in other decision-making processes. All the steps needed for a correct implementation are therefore described. Following the conceptualisation of the problem, the choice of the appropriate indicators as well as the calculation of their weighting and value functions are detailed. The paper concludes with the results of the Multi Criteria and the related Sensitivity Analyses performed, showing how the different policy responses under consideration can be assessed and furthermore compared through case studies thanks to their relative performances. The adopted methodology was found to be an effective operational approach for bridging scientific modelling and policy making by integrating the model outputs in a conceptual framework that can be understood and utilised by non experts, thus showing concrete potential for participatory decision making

The Kyoto Protocol and the Effect of Existing and Planned Measures in the Agricultural and Forestry Sector in the EU25

Agricultural and forestry activities cover the majority of the EU territory: in particular agriculture is the main land use type, accounting for more than 41% of the land use in the EU15, while in the new Member States this share ranges between 30 and 60 %, whereas forestry is the second. The role of agriculture as both a source of and as a sink of greenhouse gases (GHG) varies significantly because of the diversity of production systems adopted by farmers and of the environmental conditions in Europe. The effectiveness of the policy measures adopted so far in the agro-forestry sector to meet the Kyoto target are reported in the National Communications to the UNFCC which now reached its 4th edition. National Communication were used in this reports as the main source of information to develop a country by country survey of policy measure - both from a qualitative and a quantitative perspective - allowing to understand the progresses the Members States are making towards their commitments, also thanks to a comparative assessment of this release with the previous communications to the UNFCC. Although not all members' states did provide quantitative estimations, the comparison of the third fourth edition of the National Communication showed that almost all the countries have revised their estimations and projections of GHG emissions. It is also worth noting that that even though the measures reported at the country level still respond mainly to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) requirements or to the improvement of air and water quality standards, the issue of climate change has become increasingly prominent in the design of agro-forestry development strategies