Modelización participativa para la evaluación integrada de la sostenibilidad de los recursos hídricos: el Modelo del Mundo Celular y el Proyecto Matisse

El presente trabajo describe el proceso participativo vinculado al desarrollo y la implementación del prototipo de un modelo que tiene como principal objetivo servir de soporte durante el procesos de Evaluación Integrada de la Sostenibilidad (EIS) de diferentes opciones políticas de gestión de los recursos hídricos a diferentes niveles de acción. El modelo – llamado el Modelo del Mundo Celular (MMC) – se centra en la representación del comportamiento de los agentes respecto a sus relaciones sistemáticas con el medio ambiente. Esto se consigue principalmente mediante el análisis tres aspectos. En primer lugar, se analizan los intereses, motivaciones, creencias culturales y otras condiciones estructurales que condicionan la conducta de los agentes en el usos de las reservas y flujos de agua. Segundo, mediante el estudio a diferentes escalas del impacto sobre los ecosistemas naturales y el medio ambiente en general del comportamiento de los usuarios. Por último, se realiza de forma co-evolutiva el análisis del impacto de esos cambios ambientales en el comportamiento de los agentes. El MCM utiliza una perspectiva integrada, multi-escalar y basada en agentes. Los agentes operan en un único sistema interrelacionado en el cual cada individuo o agente colectivo responde a su disponibilidad y uso de un conjunto de reservas y flujos de reglas sociales e instituciones (S), energía y recursos (E) información y conocimiento (I), que a su vez provocan impactos y cambios (C) en el sistema socio-ecológico. Este modelo se está desarrollando conjuntamente con Grupos de Discusión como parte de un proceso de Evaluación Integrada participativa. En el proceso de participación intervienen actores reales involucrados en la gestión del agua que aportan su conocimiento sobre el comportamiento de los agentes y la posible arquitectura del modelo para incrementar su robustez social y su relevancia política. Nuestra investigación forma parte del proyecto MATISSE (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment)financiado por la Unión Europea.This paper describes the participatory process of developing and implementing a prototype model. This model is aimed at supporting integrated sustainability assessment (ISA) of policy options for managing water resources at different levels of action. The model is called the World Cellular Model (WCM). It represents agents’ behaviour in terms of their systemic relationships with the environment. This is achieved by examining three aspects. Firstly, we analyse the interests, motives, cultural beliefs and other structural conditions that drive agents’ actions with regard to their use of reserves and flows of water. Secondly, we examine different levels of the impact of agents’ behaviour on the environment and on natural ecosystems. Thirdly, we analyse in a coevolutionary way the impact of such environmental changes on the behaviour of agents. The WCM uses an integrated, multi-scale, agent-based perspective. Agents operate in a single interrelated system in which each individual or collective agent responds to the availability and use of a set of reserves and flows of social rules and/or institutions (S), energy and resources (E), information and knowledge (I) that in turn provokes environmental change (C) or impact on the social ecological system. This model is being developed with the collaboration of discussion groups, as part of a participatory integrated assessment process. Groups include people who are involved in water management. These group members have insight into agents’ behaviour and the possible architecture of the model. Their contributions can help to increase the model’s socio-ecological robustness and policy relevance. Our research is part of the EU-funded project MATISSE (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment)

Participatory modelling for the integrated sustainability assessment of water: The World Cellular Model and the MATISSE project

This paper describes the participatory process of developing and implementing a prototype model aimed at supporting the Integrated Sustainability Assessment of water resources and policy options at different scales. The model - called the World Cellular Model (WCM) focuses on the representation of agents’ behaviours and their systemic relationships with their environment. This is achieved by examining the interests, motives, cultural beliefs and structural resources that drive agents’ actions with regard to the use of stocks and flows of water, by looking at the impact of such water behaviours on the environment and on the natural ecosystems at different scales, and by examining in a coevolutionary way the impact of such environmental changes on the behaviours of agents. The WC model takes a ‘total system’, multi-scale, agent perspective. That is, agents operate in a single interrelated system in which each individual or collective agent responds to the availability and use of a set of stocks and flows of rules and/or institutions (S), energy and resources (E), information and knowledge (I) that in turn provokes environmental change (C) or impact on the social ecological system. . This model is being developed together with the use of participatory Integrated Assessment focus groups (IA-fgs) with real stakeholders to get insights about agents’ behaviours and the possible architecture of the model so as to increase its socio-ecological robustness and policy relevance. Our research is part of the EU funded project Matisse (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment)

Modelización participativa para la evaluación integrada de la sostenibilidad de los recursos hídricos: el Modelo del Mundo Celular y el Proyecto Matisse

El presente trabajo describe el proceso participativo vinculado al desarrollo y la implementación del prototipo de un modelo que tiene como principal objetivo servir de soporte durante el procesos de Evaluación Integrada de la Sostenibilidad (EIS) de diferentes opciones políticas de gestión de los recursos hídricos a diferentes niveles de acción. El modelo – llamado el Modelo del Mundo Celular (MMC) – se centra en la representación del comportamiento de los agentes respecto a sus relaciones sistemáticas con el medio ambiente. Esto se consigue principalmente mediante el análisis tres aspectos. En primer lugar, se analizan los intereses, motivaciones, creencias culturales y otras condiciones estructurales que condicionan la conducta de los agentes en el usos de las reservas y flujos de agua. Segundo, mediante el estudio a diferentes escalas del impacto sobre los ecosistemas naturales y el medio ambiente en general del comportamiento de los usuarios. Por último, se realiza de forma co-evolutiva el análisis del impacto de esos cambios ambientales en el comportamiento de los agentes. El MCM utiliza una perspectiva integrada, multi-escalar y basada en agentes. Los agentes operan en un único sistema interrelacionado en el cual cada individuo o agente colectivo responde a su disponibilidad y uso de un conjunto de reservas y flujos de reglas sociales e instituciones (S), energía y recursos (E) información y conocimiento (I), que a su vez provocan impactos y cambios (C) en el sistema socio-ecológico. Este modelo se está desarrollando conjuntamente con Grupos de Discusión como parte de un proceso de Evaluación Integrada participativa. En el proceso de participación intervienen actores reales involucrados en la gestión del agua que aportan su conocimiento sobre el comportamiento de los agentes y la posible arquitectura del modelo para incrementar su robustez social y su relevancia política. Nuestra investigación forma parte del proyecto MATISSE (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment)financiado por la Unión Europea.This paper describes the participatory process of developing and implementing a prototype model. This model is aimed at supporting integrated sustainability assessment (ISA) of policy options for managing water resources at different levels of action. The model is called the World Cellular Model (WCM). It represents agents’ behaviour in terms of their systemic relationships with the environment. This is achieved by examining three aspects. Firstly, we analyse the interests, motives, cultural beliefs and other structural conditions that drive agents’ actions with regard to their use of reserves and flows of water. Secondly, we examine different levels of the impact of agents’ behaviour on the environment and on natural ecosystems. Thirdly, we analyse in a coevolutionary way the impact of such environmental changes on the behaviour of agents. The WCM uses an integrated, multi-scale, agent-based perspective. Agents operate in a single interrelated system in which each individual or collective agent responds to the availability and use of a set of reserves and flows of social rules and/or institutions (S), energy and resources (E), information and knowledge (I) that in turn provokes environmental change (C) or impact on the social ecological system. This model is being developed with the collaboration of discussion groups, as part of a participatory integrated assessment process. Groups include people who are involved in water management. These group members have insight into agents’ behaviour and the possible architecture of the model. Their contributions can help to increase the model’s socio-ecological robustness and policy relevance. Our research is part of the EU-funded project MATISSE (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment)

A Characterization of European Collective Action Initiatives and Their Role as Enablers of Citizens’ Participation in the Energy Transition

This paper provides novel additional evidence on the characteristics of Collective Action Initiatives (CAIs), investigating their role within the European energy sector. It analyses and presents results of a survey administered in six European countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Estonia, and Spain. CAIs are studied in light of four key dimensions, those being their creation dynamics, the way they are organized, financed, and the activities they undertake. The results presented are also interpreted to reflect on their role as drivers of social innovation (SI) within energy transition in Europe. The analysis shows that the contribution of CAIs to the energy transition has a much wider scope than the development of energy projects and provision of energy services. CAIs are intrinsically socially innovative models of implementation as characterised by a strong level of citizen involvement and participation. Moreover, they have a potential multi-level role in the energy transition, from the technological and social perspectives. Indeed, alongside traditional energy activities, our results show that CAIs are evolving and expanding towards socially innovative activities, raising awareness on environmental issues, promoting citizens’ mobilization, and fostering social inclusion.This research was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 837722, project COMETS (COllective action Models for Energy Transition and Social Innovation)

Modelización participativa para la evaluación integrada de la sostenibilidad de los recursos hídricos : el modelo del mundo celular y el proyecto matisse

El presente trabajo describe el proceso participativo vinculado al desarrollo y la implementación del prototipo de un modelo que tiene como principal objetivo servir de soporte durante el procesos de Evaluación Integrada de la Sostenibilidad (EIS) de diferentes opciones políticas de gestión de los recursos hídricos a diferentes niveles de acción. El modelo - llamado el Modelo del Mundo Celular (MMC) - se centra en la representación del comportamiento de los agentes respecto a sus relaciones sistemáticas con el medio ambiente. Esto se consigue principalmente mediante el análisis tres aspectos. En primer lugar, se analizan los intereses, motivaciones, creencias culturales y otras condiciones estructurales que condicionan la conducta de los agentes en el usos de las reservas y flujos de agua. Segundo, mediante el estudio a diferentes escalas del impacto sobre los ecosistemas naturales y el medio ambiente en general del comportamiento de los usuarios. Por último, se realiza de forma co-evolutiva el análisis del impacto de esos cambios ambientales en el comportamiento de los agentes. El MCM utiliza una perspectiva integradamulti-escalar y basada en agentes. Los agentes operan en un único sistema interrelacionado en el cual cada individuo o agente colectivo responde a su disponibilidad y uso de un conjunto de reservas y flujos de reglas sociales e instituciones (S), energía y recursos (E) información y conocimiento (I), que a su vez provocan impactos y cambios (C) en el sistema socio-ecológico. Este modelo se está desarrollando conjuntamente con Grupos de Discusión como parte de un proceso de Evaluación Integrada participativa. En el proceso de participación intervienen actores reales involucrados en la gestión del agua que aportan su conocimiento sobre el comportamiento de los agentes y la posible arquitectura del modelo para incrementar su robustez social y su relevancia política. Nuestra investigación forma parte del proyecto MATISSE (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment) financiado por la Unión Europea

Investigating mechanisms of collective action initiatives’ development in the energy sector. Report on the comparative case studies, COMETS H2020 project

One of the emergent trends in the sustainable energy transition is the development of distributed power generation. In Europe, it is estimated that up half of citizens of the European Union (EU) could be energy self-sufficient, potentially supplying 45% of Europe’s final energy demand by 2050 (Kampman, et al., 2016). While there are many challenges with a move towards more distributed, citizen-led energy projects, they are nevertheless supported and promoted by the EU in the RED II (EU Renewable Energy Directive as part of the 2016 “Clean Energy of all Europeans” initiative, directive 2018/2001/EU), which secures the right for citizens and communities to produce, store, consume and sell renewable energy, and other rights such as consumer’s protection or access to all energy markets directly or through third parties. Socially, this often takes the form of community energy projects in the form of collective action initiatives (CAI). CAIs, which include energy cooperatives, prosumer networks, and other citizen-led energy projects, are examples of social innovation (Gregg, et al., 2020) in how they organize and gain power through a social movement mechanism. Social innovation is the development of activities and services to meet a social need, and social innovations are primarily social in both their ends and their means. Among other things, energy CAIs are typically characterized by a focus on the community, open and voluntary participation, democratic governance, and autonomy and independence (ICA, 2021). The social benefits of energy CAIs include: developing local economies, addressing energy poverty, raising awareness about sustainable energy, promoting energy justice, giving a voice to the community, developing local skills and promoting social cohesion. Current research on CAIs explores how they are defined and the different ownership structures (Gorroño-Albizu, 2019), and how they mobilize and attain power (Gregg et al., 2020). Other research traces the history of their development within specific contexts or geographical areas, and how they influence or are influenced by national energy policies (Wierling et al., 2018). Still other research uses the lens of organizational and institutional theory to understand the historical development of energy CAIs (Mey and Diesendorf, 2018)

Socially robust river management: role of perspective dependent acceptability thresholds

Different river management strategies have different impacts on the water system. Depending on how the future unfolds (e.g., in terms of climate change) impacts on navigation, flood damage, and nature are shaped. Impacts will be evaluated differently by people with different perspectives on river management, and what is considered acceptable now may become unacceptable in the future. The challenge is thus to identify a river management strategy that remains acceptable in different climate change scenarios and under different societal perspectives. Such a strategy is what the authors define as a socially robust river management strategy. This article presents a method-based on cultural theory and an integrated assessment metamodel (IAMM)-to explore the (changing) acceptability of river management measures while taking uncertain developments in climate into account. The result is an overview of different gradations of robustness per measure, indicating the prospected tenability of a measure and its vulnerability for changes in climate and perspective

A method to explore social response for water management strategies under changing conditions

Society aims at sustainable water management, which means that it is effective (meeting targets for people, planet and profit), robust (able to cope with uncertainties) and flexible (easily adaptable to changing conditions). The past has demonstrated that extreme weather events and their impacts are important triggers for adaptations in water management. Furthermore, societal changes or events lead to changes in perception of desired situations, goals, and valuation of costs and benefits. Insight into the dynamic nature of societal perspectives and responses provides information about the (non-) support and sustainability of water management strategies. The method presented here comprises the ‘Perspectives method’, derived from Cultural Theory to classify, analyze and explore present and future perspectives and according social response. These are presented in a so-called perspective map. We illustrate the method with a historic example of the river Meuse