Objective
Sustainable water management under climate change is an urgent challenge for the Euro-Mediterranean region. Future climate change projections estimate an increase in water scarcity and droughts in the region, causing substantial socioeconomic losses and environmental impacts.
In this context, efforts are needed to strengthen public participation and embed a sense of responsibility within the society concerning water management and adaptation towards these threats. The combination of improved awareness, mutual learning processes and shared responsibility of the civil society and stakeholders are key to ensuring successful adaptation strategies and their implementation, leading to increased resilience of the social-ecological system of a river basin.
BEWATER addresses the above challenges by promoting dialogue and collaboration between science and society. The project aims at launching a transition from a technologically-focused river basin management approach to a stakeholder driven planning and management process that allows a pro active response to emerging climatic changes and related pressures. Based on a bottom-up approach, the multidirectional and multi-sectoral knowledge transfer throughout the project will raise awareness, feed ownership and ultimately lead to effective adaptation policies.
BEWATER proposes, with tests in case study river basins across the Mediterranean, a process of building resilience based on the engagement of a wide group of stakeholders, with the goal of achieving a sustainable and adaptive management at river basin scale. It is an iterative process of mutual learning between society and science, which identifies water management options and works out adaptation plans. It leads to innovation as a result of effective integration of local experience and research.
The results will be translated into generic adaptation guidelines that can be adopted in other river basins and results will be disseminated in a targeted and strategic way.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental scienceshydrologydrainage basins
- social sciencespolitical sciencespolitical policiescivil society
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringnatural resources managementwater management
Call for proposal
FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2013-1
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Funding Scheme
CSA-SA - Support actionsCoordinator
08193 Bellaterra
Spain
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Participants (12)
Participation ended
8304BC Emmeloord
2121 Nicosia
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10717 Berlin
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WA3 7QX Warrington
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80100 Joensuu
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2080 Ariana
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1000 Ljubljana
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1049 Brussels
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3140 Keerbergen
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10556 Athina
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Participation ended
90147 Palermo Pa
1090 Bruxelles
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